


An Awakening

by Ittetsu1988



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Action/Adventure, Childhood Trauma, Emotions, Eventual Smut, M/M, True Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-02-24 18:01:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 60,817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22062109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ittetsu1988/pseuds/Ittetsu1988
Summary: The growth of the relationship between Poe and Finn within the framework of the movies. Currently ongoing work updated once or twice weekly.
Relationships: Poe Dameron/Finn
Comments: 50
Kudos: 108





	1. Chapter 1 -- Poe

An Awakening

Chapter 1: Poe

He had barely found a moment to think lately. At least, that’s what was going through his head as the transports slowly made their descent to the mineral planet Crait. So much had happened within the past few weeks. Especially ever since….No. 

_Keep your head clear. Survival is all that matters right now._

They had lost their base. They had lost their fleet. They had lost Holdo. All they had left were old transport ships, an ancient rebel base, and what hope they could scrounge up. 

The reality of the situation was, he didn’t really know what they were going to find on Crait. There wasn’t much he actually COULD do until then but wait. And think. He had constantly been distracted by one obtrusive thought since he had been captured and interrogated by Kylo Ren. FN-2187. The man who had rescued him. The man who had been instrumental in their escape. The man he had given a name to.

Finn. 

Finn was there in the brief moments when he closed his eyes. Finn was there in the periods of waiting during space transport. Finn had wormed his way deep inside Poe’s brain. He had been pushing it away as quickly as it would rise up in his mind. But now here he was, waiting. 

There was something about Finn. Poe told himself that it was just the heightened emotions of pretty much every moment he had spent with Finn. Nothing bonds people together quite like a shared crisis or trauma, and, unfortunately, things had been pretty much a nonstop crisis since his encounter with Kylo Ren. 

He barely knew Finn, but somehow he felt like he knew everything he needed to. Finn cared about people. Finn had an innate sense of right. Finn was incredibly attractive. What else was there to know? 

_Don’t be so fucking stupid,_ he told himself. _Finn might not even be, you know… interested._

Which was also part of the problem, Poe realized. There had been very little time to process, to interact even, to talk or think beyond an hour or two. No sooner had he met Finn than they had been ripped apart and separated in the barren deserts of Jakku. When he returned to D’Quar after confronting the First Order at Maz Kanata’s old watering hole, he was reunited with BB-8. And in that rush of joy and relief at seeing his old friend, when he looked up, there was a person he didn’t know if he would ever see again: Finn. Something changed for him with their embrace. Seeing Finn wearing his jacket, holding him tightly, breathing in Poe’s own scent with that of Finn. It was intoxicating. Overwhelming. All-consuming. He felt something that he hadn’t felt in a long time. 

Within hours of that embrace, though, they were separated again. Off Finn went to Starkiller base to find his friend Rey and help the Resistance survive. Such panic and fear and worry had gripped Poe when he learned of Finn’s injuries. In the midst of the continuing crisis, escaping from D’Qar before the First Order could strike, Finn was awake, and within hours again, he was gone. 

And now, here was Poe. He didn’t know where Finn was. Captured, last he had heard, or at least, as much as they could figure. Captured aboard Snoke’s ship. And here they were, fleeing with all they had left down to Crait. 

_If I ever get to see him again…._ Poe started to wonder, before stopping himself. _No! Not if. When I see him again. I know he’s alive. He has to be. And when I see him again…_

He wasn’t sure what was coming next. 

—————

The transports finally touched down on Crait, swirling up the grey and white dust from the surface, exposing dark streaks of red beneath. As Poe walked toward the enormous blast doors, dusty red footprints followed behind him. 

_This place is unlike anything I’ve seen before._ He jogged up to Leia at the front of the line. 

“It’s salt,” she said before he could ask, glancing over at him, her look assessing more than his understanding. 

“It’s breathtaking,” he replied. "The color is so intense.” 

“Poe, when was the last time you slept?” 

_Good question._ “Honestly, General, I’m not sure I can recall. It seems like it’s been one fight after the next.” 

“You seem distracted, Dameron. Why don’t you find a place to close your eyes for a few moments once we get inside.” 

“General, I—“ 

“That’s an order.” She said, looking back toward the blast doors. “I need you sharp. We’ve got a little bit of time. Let me assess things in the meanwhile.” 

She glanced toward him again, making eye contact to drive her point home. Poe nodded. He would follow Leia anywhere, and if she said he needed some rest, he probably should try to get some. 

“I will, General. Wake me as soon as you need me. And General….” He let the beginning of his sentence hang in the air. 

Leia’s gaze softened as she sensed the pain and worry toiling inside of him. “They’ll be okay, Poe. If anything had happened to them, I would know. I can feel Rey’s life force. It’s strong and certain. I have a feeling we’ll be seeing Rey and the others very soon. Especially Finn.”

He nodded again, this time a bit shaken by her insistence on mentioning Finn. _Does she know something?_ He wondered. “Thank you, General. I’ll go get some rest.” 

Once inside, he found a quiet nook, settled down, and closed his eyes. Almost immediately, he was asleep. 

He awoke to the sound of shouts and the screaming metal of the blast doors grinding shut. He jumped up and ran toward the diminishing opening, observing several ships headed straight forward, seemingly chasing the lead. Before he knew what was happening, the front ship scraped beneath the door and ground to a halt in the center of the cavernous room. Instantly, everyone in possession was firing at the First Order vessel, that is, until a couple of scared voices shouted out that it was OK. 

Poe’s heart leaped. He knew one of those voices. It had been echoing through his mind far too much lately. Seconds later he received his confirmation as the one person he wanted to see most stuck his head up from the cockpit of the ship. 

_Finn!_


	2. Chapter 2 - Finn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn's perspective is added to the narrative leading up to his intersection with Poe at the end of Chapter 1.

Something had been growing inside of Finn. It was almost like a sense, or a feeling. He wasn't really sure. But ever since he had made the decision not to kill for the First Order, things had been changing all around him as well as within him. Looking back at his jailbreak with Poe, he realized that more than a desire to escape his personal prison had guided him to the captured Resistance pilot. But escape they did, at least as much as you can call crash landing immediately after running away an escape. His incredibly brief time with Poe Dameron had been intense and left him feeling a whole host of emotions that he had not been given the luxury of exploring before. 

And just like that, he was alone again. He had always been alone, in a sense. Raised to be a soldier, conditioned to be unfeeling and unattached. The First Order hadn't been too concerned about their military force being connected by more than appearance and training. But being stranded in a desert on a planet he knew nothing about was a new level of alone for him. He was truly alone at that point, both physically and mentally. He had barely known Poe Dameron, but there had been something there that he didn't really have words for. A connection of some type. A genuine appreciation of each other. Hell, Poe had even given him a new name. 

So when he found himself alone in a desert with a choice between his old, certain identity as a Stormtrooper and the opportunity to become something new, it wasn't long before he shed the dented white armor on the dunes and put on the jacket of a Resistance fighter. Finn wasn't sure who he was. He just knew that he wasn't a pawn of the First Order anymore, and right at that moment, that was the only thing that mattered. 

A similar feeling to what had guided him toward Poe had inexplicably drawn him toward Rey. He felt a connection to her as well, similar to the connection he had felt toward Poe, but also subtly different in ways he wasn't yet sure of. But she looked at him like he mattered. Like he was important. Like he was worth knowing. And he craved that attention so desperately. He had never been wanted in any real capacity, only as a mindless soldier for Phasma's army. With Rey, he found a friendship. A person with whom he could share mutual respect and trust. Her capture at the hands of Kylo Ren on Takodana had devastated him so completely. He felt as though something important had been ripped out from inside of him. He was still figuring out his complicated relationship with Rey, and then she was gone just as quickly as Poe had been. 

But his loss was tempered with gain, as he found out Poe was still alive. Their reunion on D'Quar was intense and he once again found himself unbalanced by unfamiliar emotion and feelings. All he knew for sure was that there was a connection between him and Poe, just as there was a connection between him and Rey. They both felt... safe. Certain. So much of what happened next was a blur, which, compounded with his injury and recovery, found him waking up in an unfamiliar place. 

As he lay in the healing chamber, his mind was lost somewhere between life and death, between light and dark. There was no sense of time. He didn't know how long he was there. But within that liminal space were memories and emotions. He thought of Rey. He thought of Poe. He felt things in his heart, in his stomach, in his whole body. Things that he had never been allowed to feel, certainly not within the control of the First Order. And also within that space, he felt... something else. That feeling. That sense. The thing that had seemingly awakened, and that he found to be pulling him to unexpected places and people. Guiding him, almost. A type of balance and connection.

But then he was awake and thrown back into the turmoil of battle and survival. His meeting with Rose seemed to be chance, wrong place at the wrong time and all that, but eventually, he started to notice a pull toward her as well. Rose was an honest and good person, and he found great comfort in her certainty and steadfastness. She understood the risks of war, but she wasn't so afraid that she would turn from what needed to be done. Finn learned a lot from his time with her. He learned that he couldn't keep running from a fight that was just as much his as it was anyone else's. He learned that good people like Rose were the heart of the Resistance and that their invaluable dedication and compassion would fuel the battle and inspire others. Rose was a valuable friend, and he recognized a connection with her.

Rose. Rey. Poe. All amazing people in his life now. Despite all of the horrible destruction surrounding them, Finn found himself feeling lucky. 

That is, until he and Rose were captured, and then double-crossed by that code-breaking thief. But in the turmoil of Snoke's ship being heavily damaged, Rose and Finn had managed to escape with some help from BB-8. Now, they hurtled through space, two people and a droid in a small vessel trying to catch up with the Resistance and flee the pursuing First Order. He felt a pull toward the planet Crait, inside of him. It was that feeling again, that sense, that connection. He could feel Rey out there. He knew she was alive but in danger. 

And he could feel Poe as well. Safe, for the moment. But that was all he knew. What was it about Poe that felt different from his connection with Rey, and even with Rose? Rose felt like a friend. The more he thought about Rey, the more the term family floated around his thoughts. But his connection with Poe had a somewhat different quality that he had never experienced before. They began to approach the planet, dipping into its atmosphere. He marveled at the wide-open flatlands and the crags of the mountains, streaks of red beneath dusty grey. His pull toward Poe grew stronger every second as they slid beneath the huge door of the base and convinced the Resistance to stop firing on them. He looked up over the rim of their escape vessel and took in the scene around him. A disappointingly small group of fighters remained within the cavernous room, accompanied by containers of red crystal and strange four-legged creatures. 

And within all of that, something drew his gaze directly toward the one person his heart felt connected to in that moment. There was Poe. Looking right into his eyes. Deeper even. And Finn felt so much in that moment, such an explosion. Intense warmth and comfort. Joy. Something even stronger within his heart. Entwined within and without was a sense of emptiness, that he realized was longing. He wanted that emptiness to be filled. 

So before he knew what was happening, he scrambled down the side of the ship, skidded to his feet on the dusty floor, and rushed into the welcoming and strong arms of Poe Dameron. He buried his face in Poe's shoulder to hide the immense emotion that was starting to leak out of his eyes. Everything had been so intense and overwhelming lately, and now it was all pushing its way out in this embrace. 

Choking on his tears, he managed to get out, "Poe Dameron, I missed you so fucking much." 


	3. Chapter 3 --The Battle of Crait -- Finn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Our heroes defend the last bastion of hope in the galaxy on the mineral planet Crait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who has checked out the first two chapters so far and thanks for the kudos! I'm not sure how long this will eventually be, but I plan to update as often as possible. I want to take my time with this relationship within the context of the films. 
> 
> Cheers!

Finn

Finn felt like every molecule in his body was alive with electricity. His senses overwhelmed him as his emotions consumed his heart and mind. Poe felt so strong and secure, as if nothing could ever hurt Finn within his embrace. He smelled of engine grease and leather, a strong and sweet musk mixed with the dust of the planet and the pain of his journey. Finn was aware of how their bodies pressed together, almost like a puzzle slotting into place. His eyes were wet and his heart was bursting with such intense happiness.  
"I missed you so fucking much, Poe Dameron."  
"I missed you too Finn. I can't even begin to tell you how happy I am to see you here."  
Finn pulled back, sniffed, and wiped at his eyes. He made brief eye contact with Poe, and then lowered his gaze to Poe's chest, ashamed of his overriding emotions.  
"I'm sorry, I'm just a bit out of sorts."  
"Never apologize for how you feel, Finn. You're always safe to express your emotions with me." Poe said softly.  
Finn looked back up, locking eyes with the usually cocky pilot. He managed a weak smile, and his heart pulsed as Poe smiled back at him. He looked around again at the remaining resistance members who had already started returning to their preparations.  
"I'm glad to see you're safe," Leia said as she approached the two men.  
"Finn! Poe!" Rose ran over to them. Finn scooped her up in a quick hug. "I can't believe we got out of there alive," she sighed.  
"General Organa," Finn began, "I'm sorry, but--"  
"It doesn't matter now, Finn. It was very brave of you and Rose to try and do what you did, but that is beyond us at this point. Right now, we need to hold out against the First Order until help can arrive. We've already begun sending out signals throughout the galaxy."  
Finn nodded. "What can we do?" He glanced at Poe standing beside him and briefly caught his eye. Poe gently and discretely squeezed Finn's arm and softly smiled. Finn didn't know what was about to happen, but somehow, with Poe by his side, he felt ready. Whatever happened next, he was prepared to defend whatever remained of the galaxy's last hope.

* * *

They split up to inventory whatever they could find in the long-abandoned base, but the findings were disturbingly scant. Finn could feel time running out, the seconds slipping away as the inevitability of the First Order became more and more imminent. A shout rang out, then another, as the scouts spotted the first sign of the approaching battle. Finn made his way to the front to get a look for himself and felt a hollow pit form in his stomach at the sight. 

Approaching in a solid horizontal line was a fleet of, well. They looked like AT-AT units, but they were bigger, almost muscular, as if a giant robotic battle vessel could even be such a thing. They were somehow more primal and savage-looking than the standard model. And at the center were two terrifying sights: floating above the battlefield was Kylo Ren's ship, and being dragged beneath it was a cannon that Finn unfortunately recognized. 

"That door doesn't stand a chance against that cannon. We need to stop it from firing." 

A plan was formed and put into place. What weapons could be found were in the hands of ground troops, who would try to support from a trench dug in front of the entrance. Poe, Rose, Finn, and a few others would pilot the biggest piece of junk skimmers that Finn had ever seen in an attempt to stop the cannon from firing and destroying the only barrier they had. 

"Here, let me help you." Finn looked up to see Poe approaching him. With the pilot's help, Finn was hoisted up into the cockpit and secured in place. Poe was hanging on the side to make sure that Finn was safe. After Finn tightened the straps, he looked up at Poe. 

For a moment, they just looked at each other, both searching the other's face for some sign of how they felt. Neither seemed to know what to say, and although a feeling of awkwardness crept in, Finn wasn't sure he wanted the moment to end. After all, in this brief minute, he knew that Poe and he were both safe. For a moment, he forgot about what was coming. 

Poe cleared his throat. "Finn, I--" The sound of blaster fire cut him off. The First Order was clearly not going to waste time. 

Finn smiled at Poe. "Later. We'll talk later." He nodded at Poe, who nodded back, maintaining eye contact for a second longer before dropping down to the ground to get into his own skimmer. And just like that, they were off. 

They began their approach. Although anticipation and dread were building in Finn's stomach, he also felt strange confidence that he hadn't experienced before. After his experiences with Rose on Canto Bight and on Snoke's ship, he was finally starting to decide who he was. He was confident that this mission was a part of who he wanted to be. Someone who did the right thing. Someone who stood for hope and justice, who defended the weak and defenseless, and someone who stood up to the evils of the world. At this moment, he was committed to doing whatever it took to stop the First Order. 

Fear jumped in when a fleet of Tie Fighters swept over them, but it was pushed away and relief flooded his system when the Millenium Falcon made it's timely arrival and drew them away. He could feel Rey on that ship, alive and healthy, and joy and hope filled him as they continued to approach the cannon. But it was starting to seem like it was too late, and that hope was unceremoniously ripped away as they took casualties. The order was given to pull back. 

But Finn was done running. He had decided to make a stand. To stop the First Order. And he was going to. As he sped toward the cannon, ignoring the commands to retreat, he thought about the why of his actions. He thought about the people in the galaxy. He thought about the people in his life. Rey. Rose. Poe. 

"I'm sorry, Poe," he choked out as the tears began to stream down his face. But he knew what he needed to do. 

For a minute, he didn't know what was happening. But then he and his skimmer crashed to the ground, rammed out of the way by Rose in her own skimmer. He ran to her, horrified to find her bruised and bleeding. 

"We win by saving what we love," she told him as the cannon fired, an explosion of sound and heat so incredibly powerful ripping past them, and then she kissed him before fainting. Confusion filled Finn, as well as shame and fear. He had failed his mission. But he didn't have time to worry about all of that. Finding a piece of shrapnel big enough, he began to hurry back toward the rebel base, dragging her behind him. Behind him was the certainty of the First Order, and dashed to pieces in front of their approach was the remains of Finn's certainty that he was doing the right thing by sacrificing himself. Ahead lay uncertainty. How long did they have before they were captured or killed? Would he ever see Rey again? Was there any hope left at all? Would Poe be disappointed that he failed? Leaving a trail of red salt and doubt, Finn dragged his wounded friend into the uncertainty of possible destruction. 


	4. Chapter 4 - The Battle of Crait - Poe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Battle of Crait draws to a conclusion as our heroes race forward into a nebulous and undefined future.

Poe felt hollow. This was it. They were backed into a corner with no way out. The Resistance had failed. The First Order would infiltrate the base, probably kill all of them, and then leave Crait to lay waste to the galaxy with no one to stand in their way. Their final attempt at survival had crashed and shattered on the surface of the deep red salt crystals.

Poe was sitting on an ammunition crate staring at the back of the man he couldn't stop thinking about. Finn was standing over Rose as the medic worked on making sure she would be ok. Poe wasn't even sure what had happened out there as they tried to stop the First Order from firing their cannon. He had called for their retreat and peeled back to return to the base, but for some reason, Finn kept going. 

_What kind of leader do I really think I am, anyway? I shouldn't have retreated until everyone else had. Finn could have been killed, and I would have been too busy retreating to know that it was happening. I almost lost him; I came so close to having him ripped from my life, and if it hadn't been for Rose, he would have been._

Turmoil consumed his brain as the pit of despair in his chest grew deeper and deeper. This was it then. There was no future. No Tomorrow. No conversation with Finn before the end. Nothing more between them but a shared fate as the First Order struck them down. Poe didn't know the last time that he had cried but didn't feel the slightest bit of surprise as tears began to stream down his face. He didn't know what else to do at this point. All he could do was stare at the back of Finn's head and imagine what could have been. A friendship. A partnership. Something more. As they explored the galaxy together, fighting the forces of evil and protecting those who couldn't protect themselves. Deep within the hollow ringing despair, where his heart beat on despite the dire circumstances he faced, a small glow of warmth began to burn within him. It was more a sense of missed nostalgia than it was hope. But it was something, and it centered around that man in front of him. 

Poe rose from the ammunition crate and walked slowly toward Finn. "Hey," he choked out, not quite sure what else to say. 

Finn spun around and locked eyes with him. Poe could see the turmoil of emotions beneath Finn's face as well. Finn looked Poe over, noticed the shared anguish and the tears shining on the pilot's face. His own eyes crinkled up as he started to cry as well. Wordlessly, Finn reached out for Poe and pulled him into him. Finn wrapped both of his strong arms around Poe, one hand grasping tightly at Poe's shoulder, and Poe returned the embrace in kind. He wasn't sure where he ended and Finn began as they both heaved with emotion and grief and despair. It felt as though they breathed together at that moment. As if they had become one living being, united by an unspeakable depth of emotion. 

A Storm trooper and a Resistance Pilot, fighting for the same cause. United in a shared emotional strength. Poe didn't know how long the embrace lasted, how long he felt the warmth of another man in his arms, how long he breathed in Finn's scent, how long he felt, even briefly, at ease in the other man's embrace, but it wasn't long enough. He wasn't sure it could ever be long enough. But the sound of surprised voices broke them apart as they looked to see what was going on. Poe had only ever seen old holo-pictures of him, but he knew without a doubt that the man walking through the base was none other than Luke Skywalker. 

At first, Poe didn't understand what was going on, but then-- "He's giving us a chance to escape." 

He took off after the one remaining crystal dog creature as it led them through the maze that the base turned into as it was once again reclaimed into a fully natural cave structure. Finn was right beside him as they navigated the only chance they had left. Their hope was out there facing off against the First Order. If this worked, if this gave them the opportunity to escape, then Luke Skywalker was lighting the match, sparking the flame of hope. Already, Poe could feel that hope sputtering up within him. Then, he felt Finn reach over and take his hand, twining their fingers together, and the sputtering sparks of hope begin to solidify into a stable flame. He squeezed Finn's hand, and increased his pace forward. 

The creature led them into a widened room closed off with a cave-in. They stood, confused for a moment, as the small animal squeezed it's way through a hole in the rocks, leaving the Resistance behind. So quickly did Poe find himself being pulled back into despair, but before he could, he felt Finn squeeze his hand. He looked over at him, searching the other man's eyes. 

Finn smiled at him. "Close your eyes." 

"What, I--" 

"Shhhh." Poe stopped trying to speak and just looked at Finn, who widened his eyes and tilted his head forward, insisting that Poe did as he requested. Poe closed his eyes. Finn squeezed his hands again, and Poe could hear the smile in Finn's voice. 

"We're going to be ok. Trust me." 

Poe could hear the confidence in his voice, and he believed him, and that small flame of hope within his chest flared up even bigger and brighter. He was finding a new source of hope in his life. 

Poe heard the sound of rock scraping together, and felt a rush of air forward as Finn gasped, "Rey!" He opened his eyes to see the mysterious and confident Rey standing at the other end of a stretch of floating rocks. They were free. Finn squeezed Poe's hand again, before releasing it to run toward his friend as she sent the floating rocks cascading to the side. The Resistance was saved. 

Everyone rushed aboard the Millenium Falcon, eager to escape the clutches of death. People milled about the ship, calling out navigational orders at one end, checking supplies at the other, while a couple of people addressed Rose's wounds and checked Rey and Finn over. Poe finally met Rey formally. They were safe. 

He looked around the main room, taking in the scene of hope. His eyes found Finn's. Finn was seated next to Rose, holding her hand tightly, but his eyes had been watching Poe. They stared at each other across the crowd. Poe couldn't hear anything but the sound of his heartbeat and a warm rushing heat. Finn smiled a bit, and Poe echoed the gesture. Something had begun here, on this planet, in this desperate attempt for survival. Something new had awakened and now burned within Poe, and that something was irrevocably tied to the man he now stared at. He wasn't sure what was coming next, but maybe he never truly would, and maybe that was okay. He knew at least one thing he wanted, and he had hope that Finn wanted the same. 


	5. Chapter 5 - Beyond Crait - Finn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Resistance catches a collective breath on a temporary base moon. Finn finds time to check in with Rey.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all,  
> Glad to see people are enjoying the story so far. Much appreciation to those that took the time to comment.  
> Obviously, at this point, we've moved into a bit of a nebulous space between TLJ and TROS. Best estimates place the time between the two films at around 1-1.5 years, so we have a bit of time to work with. I'm planning to include, at least somewhat, the Galaxy's Edge narrative, even if only in passing. Other than that, I'll be exercising quite a bit of creative license moving forward. I hope you all keep checking back as I update the story.  
> Cheers!

Finn wasn't sure where they were, but that was half the point. General Organa told them that it was an uncharted moon-sized object that had been established as an emergency base back during the Rebel Resistance against the Empire, similar to what they had found on Crait. If it had a name, Finn didn't know what it was.

It had been a day since they had moved into the spacious cave structures of this moon. The stone was a dark grey that seemed to absorb light, so it definitely was a bit on the gloomy side. The atmosphere within the caves was thin, but, within hours of setting up, oxygen and carbon scrubbers had been cleaned and activated and provided a much more breathable field of air within the bounds of their camp.

Finn wasn't sure of the last time that he had slept, but when the Falcon finally landed, he volunteered to help sort through food rations and other necessary survival supplies. It was basic, mind-numbing work, but he felt the need to be busy right then. Rose was still unconscious, but he had been assured that she would make a full recovery. He had caught glimpses of Rey and Poe running about, checking in with the General and tuning up the Falcon with Chewie, but he hadn't found an opportunity to talk with either of them.

Occasionally, he caught Poe's eye, and that strange rush of emotion and warmth would flash through him. He wasn't really sure what was happening between them. This was new territory for him. For whatever reason, BB-8 had been following him around, beeping regularly at Finn, even though they both knew that he had no idea what the droid was trying to communicate to him.

Eventually, the basic tasks were complete, and Finn felt exhaustion take a firm and solid hold on him. He set out to find a place to lie down, and he settled in to finally get some sleep. BB-8 rocked near him, emitting that comforting purring noise that it sometimes made. Finn took it as a sign of contentedness from the droid, and it wasn't long before he was pulled away into a deep and heavy sleep.

* * *

Finn woke with a start, jumping up from the cot he had been nearly dead upon a minute ago. It was incredibly dark at first, and he looked around in confusion, forgetting where he was. Fear gripped him as the trauma of his past shook throughout his body. The screams in his head faded into the distance, just like the children they had belonged to, children who, like Finn, had been ripped from their homes and conditioned into soldiers. As his eyes grew used to the dim light in the cave, memories of the past week came flooding back in as he realized where he was. The moon base. The Resistance. He was ok. He was safe. 

But he didn't feel safe, not right then, and he curled up into himself as tears came to his eyes. He had lived through such horrors as a child. There had been no happy moments in his childhood with the First Order. Only cold eyes and cold voices and cold hard surfaces as he was relentlessly fashioned into something he refused to be. His heart ached for his lost childhood, and for all those like him who had suffered similarly. 

"Finn. Are you ok?" 

He looked up to find Rey standing in front of him, genuine concern knitting furrows in her brow. When she saw the tears in his eyes, her own softened. 

"Come here, you." Finn stood as Rey wrapped her arms tightly around him, comforting him in his overwhelming grief. 

"Shhh, shhh, it's ok, Finn. You're safe now. You're safe now with me." He didn't ask how she seemingly knew what was in his mind at that moment. It didn't matter. 

"I've missed you so much, Rey. I was so worried about you. Part of me knew you would be ok, but part of me..." 

"Part of you would worry no matter what. I know. I've felt the same way ever since I left you on D'Qar." 

"So much has happened," Finn murmured, giving Rey one last tight squeeze before pulling back, wiping at his eyes to dry the tears. 

"I know. It seems we've both been through a lot. And grown a bit, eh?" She glanced up at him, and he shakily returned her smile. "How about we go find something to eat. I'm famished. And then I want to hear everything you've been up to since I last saw you." 

Finn's smile broadened. "Only if you tell me all about finding Luke Skywalker!" 

"Come along then." She pulled at his arm and they set off to find some rations, both chattering and laughing. With Rey, it was easy to fall into a rhythm of familiarity. She felt like home to him in a way that no one else ever had. They had known each other for such a short amount of time, but it didn't matter. She was his family now, and he would do whatever he could to protect that. For just another second, his mind flashed back to that fear he had awoken with, and his resolve solidified even more. The First Order was done taking things from him. 


	6. Chapter 6 - Beyond Crait - Poe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe slows down and breathes.

"Poe Dameron, if you don't go and rest, I'm going to demote you again." 

"Alright, alright. I guess. If you're sure there's nothing else for me to do right now." 

Leia rolled her eyes. "You exhaust me, Commander." At the last word-- _commander--_ a smirk brought up the corners of her mouth. 

"Commander!? So I'm promoted back to my old rank?" 

"For one thing, it's conditional on you leaving me alone for a few hours. For the other, I'm proud of how you've grown." 

Poe beamed at the General. "Thank you General, it truly is an honor to hear you say that." His expression grew dark as he stammered, "And, uh, well. It's partly thanks to Holdo. I'm sorry we lost her. Her sacrifice saved the Resistance." 

Leia's eyes softened, and a hint of sadness crept into her voice. "As am I, Poe. We are forever indebted to her. Now go." 

Poe nodded at her and set off to find somewhere to sleep. Except, well, he wasn't really tired. He knew that he should be dead on his feet, but strange energy was still humming through him. He didn't know if it was anxiety about the First Order or what, but he just didn't feel like sleeping quite yet. 

He walked around the perimeter of their base, checked in with a few people, and realized he hadn't seen BB-8 in a while. Where had that droid gone off to now? Perhaps he was up on the Falcon? Poe headed up the ramp into the ship. Hearing a noise in the cockpit, he headed that way first. Even if the droid wasn't there, maybe someone had seen him. He instantly regretted his decision when he realized that the noise he heard was someone crying and that someone was Rey. 

He was about to slip back the direction when she looked up at him and quickly wiped at her eyes. "Ermm, sorry, Rey, I didn't mean to intrude." He stood awkwardly, halfway poised to run away, suddenly aware of the fact that he didn't know what to do with his arms. Were they always so obtrusive and strange? 

"No, no, it's fine," Rey assured him. "I was hoping to talk to you anyway at some point." 

Poe was a bit taken aback at this comment. He figured he would be the last person that Rey wanted to talk to, honestly. He had only really met her yesterday. What could they possibly have to talk about? "Oh, um, okay?" _It's not a question you idiot. Don't be so weird._

Rey smiled slightly at him, clearly aware of how awkward he was feeling right then. "Do I intimidate you, Commander Dameron?" She teased lightly. "I was told that you were much more charming than this." 

Poe chuckled at that. "Ahh, you got me. It's all a brilliant facade that only works when I'm not half-asleep."

"Fair enough," Rey nodded. "Anyway..."

"Anyway, you wanted to talk to me?" 

"Well, I just wanted to say thank you, is all. For taking care of him while I was away searching for Master Skywalker." 

"Uh, I, uh, what do you mean? Take care of who?" _Don't play dumb, Dameron. It isn't the slightest bit charming._

But Rey merely turned to look out the cockpit window. "Him. We just had a good long conversation and some food, but I could tell he needed more rest. His mind was troubled with the past."

Poe looked past her to see Finn curled into a ball, fast asleep on a cot down on the ground in view of the Falcon. "So that's where my droid got off to," He said, spotting the orange and white BB unit rocking back and forth next to Finn. "But, uh, I didn't really do that much to take care of him. Arguably, I think I may have put him in more danger sending him onto Snoke's ship like that." _Not to mention that I practically left him to die on that dusty field on Crait,_ he thought with a flush of shame. 

Rey looked at Poe a little too piercingly for his comfort, as if she were trying to read something in his face. "Finn's choices were his own. You didn't put him in any danger that he wasn't willing to put himself into. Besides all that..." She studied his face again before continuing. "Besides all that, he looks to you to help steady him. I saw it when we left Crait, and I can feel it when he talks about you. He cares for you deeply." 

Poe, looked down at his feet, his cheeks burning at that last comment. It seemed that the look they had shared across the main room on the Falcon hadn't been totally unnoticed. "I, uh, well--" He was having a hell of a time speaking today. He glanced back up at Rey, not sure what to say. 

"It's ok. I just mention it because I care about Finn. I've been without family for so long, I never thought I would feel a bond with someone as strong as the one I feel with him. I'm happy that he has more than just me looking after him." Rey smiled at him again, warm and kind. 

"I care about him too." Poe finally and simply stated, once again looking past Rey to watch Finn sleep. 

Rey nodded once. "Finn is strong, both in body and heart. But he needs people and connections. Right now, we all need that to keep us strong, sane, and united against the First Order. But anyway..." She trailed off. 

Poe composed himself. "Right, well, I'll be off then. And, Rey." She looked at him, searching his face again. "Thank you. I have every intention of supporting Finn no matter what." She smiled again, with warmth in her eyes. "Goodnight," he said as he started to walk backward out of the cockpit. 

"Night," she called after him. 

Poe's mind was buzzing with thoughts of his conversation with Rey. That hope he had felt burning in his heart in that cave on Crait was kindled even brighter and hotter. He wanted to be near Finn, but he wasn't sure if he should; if perhaps it was too soon. But then he decided, _Fuck it._

He strolled over toward the sleeping man and the gently purring droid. BB-8 let out a series of low quiet beeps at Poe's approach. "Hey, buddy," he said in greeting. He stood for a moment, looking at Finn. His rest right now seemed peaceful, as his strong yet soft features were calm and relaxed. _I think I could watch that handsome face sleep all night._

Poe slid down to sit on the ground in front of the cot, leaning to rest on BB-8. As the man who had consumed his mind breathed deeply behind him, and as his droid purred quietly beneath his head, it wasn't long before Poe Dameron's eyes slipped closed, and he passed into a deep and dreamless sleep. 


	7. Chapter 7 -- Moving Forward -- Finn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Resistance starts to consider its next course of action.

Finn's eyes were still closed as he regained consciousness. This wasn't by far what he would call a comfortable bed, but it was probably the most comfortable spot he had slept in for a long time. The air was a bit cool, but his body was warmed by a thick woolen blanket. The cave smelled musty and damp, but there was a sweeter scent on the air. He breathed in deeply and let his mind go blank. In the darkness of his mind, he saw the person that scent belonged to. Spicy and a bit sweet. Warm. Dark and tousled hair. A smile that traveled up into his eyes. A strong and determined stance. Poe. 

He opened his eyes, but he was alone. Even BB-8 had left at some point in the night. He could see people moving about in the cave, moving and organizing supplies into various piles. The moon must have rotated toward one of the three suns in this system as there were thick shafts of blueish light shining down into the openings above them. Finn closed his eyes again, breathed deeply, and prepared himself to face whatever may come next. Sitting up on the cot, he pulled his boots on and laced them up tightly. He stood and stretched, feeling the tightness in his back and legs, and breathed deeply again. One good thing he had gained from the First Order's indoctrination was the ability to find a mindful focus. He folded up the blanket and the cot and grabbed the jacket Poe had given him from the supply rack he had hung it from. 

He looked at the jacket for a moment, letting the thoughts of Poe come flooding into his mind. A desire to confirm his waking suspicion, he brought the jacket up to his nose and inhaled deeply. Sweet and spicy and warm. But faded, since it had been a bit since Poe had worn it. But the scent surrounding him as he woke was not faded. Poe had been near him while he slept. The idea made him feel warm inside, but he was still pushing away the thoughts of why. 

_I really don't have time to worry about this, do I? We could all be dead tomorrow. I don't know what I feel anyway. I'm certainly no expert on emotions._ He knew that he was making excuses so that he didn't have to face a growing awareness inside of him, but he didn't care right then. Pulling the jacket on, he made off toward the bustling activity in the center of the cave. As he walked by various groups of people, snatches of conversation caught his attention. 

"We need to find more food and medical supplies. We have very little." 

"I have an acquaintance in Mos Eisley who could help us acquire some weapons."

" What we really need are ships. We won't last long with one supply freighter and no fighters." 

"Did you hear the First Order was sighted poking around what's left of Jedha." 

Finn continued on, looking for Poe or Rey or even General Organa. 

"Finn!" He looked toward the voice and saw Lieutenant Connix striding toward him purposefully. "How are you feeling?" 

"Lieutenant Connix. I feel well. Rested. Thank you. How are you?" 

She waved her hand as if to shuffle his question aside. "Commander Dameron and the General were asking for you. They're up in the Falcon planning a supply mission." She gave him a hasty salute and set off after someone else. 

_Supply mission? And they want me?_ Finn wasn't opposed to such a mission, but he was surprised that it seemed he was among the first choice to join it. _Although, I suppose our choices aren't exactly extensive._ He headed over to the Falcon and up the ramp, finding the General and Poe seated around the holo table. Rey was seated in the alcove reading what appeared to be an incredibly old book. 

"Ah, Finn, you're here." The General motioned for him to sit down across from Poe, which he did without hesitation. He made eye contact with Poe, who raised the corners of his mouth in a slight smile at the sight of Finn. Finn felt the warmth bloom inside of him again, and he smiled back before turning to look at the General Organa. 

"Yes, Connix said you were looking to speak with me." 

"Connix was correct. We are in desperate need of a number of things, but I think we'll be able to find a few of them in the same place. We need supplies, both food and medicine to be sure, but we also need information. This is why I would like you to accompany Rey and Commander Dameron to The Spire above Anthan Prime." 

"Are you sure you want me, General? I don't mean to be disrespectful, but..." He couldn't keep his insecurities from leaking out at this moment. 

Leia Organa smiled warmly at him. "Finn. You have proved yourself to be a stalwart defender of the galaxy and of this Resistance. Add to that, you have a close personal relationship with both Rey and Commander Dameron. I can think of no one better to join them." 

For some reason, the words "personal relationship" and "Commander Dameron" used together brought a flush of heat to his face. "I understand, General. Thank you for the opportunity." 

Leia rose from her seat, causing both men to stand as well. "That's settled then. You three are set to leave as soon as you're ready." She turned toward Finn. "Before you go, though, you may want to see Rose. The medics working with her informed me that she had regained consciousness and was recovering nicely. I'm sure she wishes to speak with you." She glanced back at Rey and her book. "Rey, with me, please. One last thing before you go." Rey hopped up, securing the book back in a drawer, and headed down the ramp. 

As the General shuffled out of the ship, Finn looked down at his feet, a shot of shame dropping his stomach as he realized he would have to have an uncomfortable conversation with Rose after the events on Crait. He looked up again to Poe who stood waiting. 

Finn smiled more broadly as the sight of Poe watching him brought that flush of heat back to his face. "So Commander," he started, teasingly, "When do we leave?" 

Poe smiled back, the flush of heat in his face visible in the red slowly shading his cheeks, a sight which made Finn's stomach flip. "I'd like to head out within the next hour or two. Have to finish fueling up and charting our course out, among other things." 

Somehow, the two had moved closer together without even realizing it, but Finn was becoming very aware of the shrinking empty space between him and Poe, almost as if the air in front of him was charged with electricity. He watched as Poe's eyes started to wander down Finn's body, causing Finn to become incredibly self-conscious and flipping his thoughts back to Rose. 

Finn moved awkwardly where he stood. "Well, I should wrap things up before we leave then." Poe was looking into his eyes now, and Finn felt as if gravitational pull was extending from that gaze, holding him in place. "Uhhhh, Poe, I..." 

Poe extended his arms and pulled Finn into a tight hug. Finn wrapped his arms around the pilot's shoulders, pulling himself even closer into Poe. His heart was beating wildly, his breath was shallow and quick, at least at first.

"I'm glad we're safe. I'm glad you're safe." Poe murmured close to his ear, as that sweetly spicy scent found it's way into Finn's nose. He remembered his training and closed his eyes, breathing deeply and focusing on the present moment. His breathing and heart rate slowed. Poe's body was warm, and he could feel the other man's chest moving with his breath. Poe's arms were strong around Finn. His left hand slid slowly down Finn's back, pulling their hips closer together. 

"Finn, I-" Poe started, hesitantly, as Finn became very aware of every part of Poe's body pressed against him. "There's a lot of things I'd like us to talk about. When we have time. Which is obviously not right now," He chuckled at that last comment. 

"Me too." Was all Finn could manage in response. Poe squeezed him tighter before pulling away. "We'll talk soon," he whispered, his lips brushing Finn's ear and sending jagged bolts of heat through Finn's body, leading to a tightening in his pants. 

Poe smiled at him, clapping him on the shoulder as he walked out of the room. 

Finn's mind was reeling about, sensations shifting throughout his body, Poe's scent still hanging in the air. Through it all, one thought circled through his mind. One word. The only thing he could form. 

_WOW._


	8. Chapter 8 -- Moving Forward -- Poe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe and the gang prepare for a mission.

Electricity coursed throughout Poe's body. He wasn't sure that he had ever felt so alive anywhere besides the cockpit of his ship as he soared through space and sky. But being so close to Finn, finally starting to express how he felt, was so much better than he could have imagined. This was as exhilarating as any space flight to be sure. 

Before he could get to all that, though, as he told Finn on the Falcon, now wasn't quite the time. Some things needed taken care of first, and that included locating that droid of his. A series of emphatic beeping erupted behind Poe, hailing the arrival of BB-8. 

"Buddy! I was just looking for you. What do you mean I'm smiling like an idiot?" Poe realized that a giant smile had been plastered on his face since he had walked away from Finn. Clearing his throat, he put his serious commander face on. "Listen, pal, we've got a mission ahead of us. I need you to find Chewbacca and tell him to meet me on the bridge of the Falcon. We need to chart our course." 

"Commander Dameron!" A voice rang out above the commotion as BB-8 rushed off in the other direction that Poe was now looking. Lieutenant Connix was heading his way. 

"Lieutenant, what's going on?" Poe cocked a grin at her. He liked Connix. She had a wry sense of humor underneath all that serious demeanor. 

"No time for that now, Poe, as you well know. Too much to get done." She shot him a wink. "Anyway, they're just finishing up the refueling for the Falcon. We're going to be giving you limited rations since you'll be making a few changes before you head off for Anthan Prime anyway." 

"Unfortunately, that is all too true. This ship is a bit too recognizable. We can't exactly dock at The Spire with one of the most infamous smuggling ships in the galaxy." Poe glanced back at the old ship. "It's a shame too; I was really looking forward to giving it a proper test run." 

"Maybe once we don't have to keep desperately fighting for our lives, hm?" Connix lifted an eyebrow as Poe chuckled agreement. "The only other thing is our rendezvous. Obviously, we can't hang around here any longer than necessary. Rey has the binary hyperspace signal that she used to find us on Crait. We'll continue that method of location for you all to find us once you're done on Anthan." 

"Copy that, Lieutenant. Once Chewbacca drops us off, I'll send him straight back here to the rest of you."

"Excellent. Godspeed, Commander." Connix gave him a curt salute and set off to her next task. 

"Hey, Connix," Poe called after her. The lieutenant stopped and turned toward him. "Take care of the General." She nodded her head affirmatively and went on her way. 

Poe knew that Leia Organa would most likely be fine in the company of Connix in the others. Still, it made him worry a bit that neither he nor Rey would be nearby to keep her safe. _But then, the General put this mission together. She knows what she's doing._

Poe whipped his head around to the sound of frantic beeping and whirring. BB-8 came racing around a cave bend with Chewbacca in hot pursuit. The wookiee was shouting and waving his arms in the air. Poe shook his head in disbelief as Chewie chased the droid up the ramp into the Falcon. 

"If we don't all die on this mission, it will be a miracle," he muttered under his breath with a chuckle. 

* * *

Once Chewie had calmed down, and once Poe had sent BB-8 off to do something else so that the wookiee wouldn't rip him apart, the two charted their course. As Poe had told Connix, they needed a different ship. They would travel to the planet Delphon where Chewbacca would drop off Poe, Finn, Rey, and BB-8. After that, Chewbacca would return to the moon base so that the Resistance could mobilize to their next destination once it had been decided upon. 

The Falcon was gassed up and ready to go. Rations had been distributed. Their course had been charted. There was just one last thing that Poe wanted to do before they set off. Exiting the Falcon, he found Rey kneeling down and fixing BB-8's antenna for what must have been the hundredth time. 

"You know, pal, if you didn't mess with old wookiees, you wouldn't get your parts all messed up." BB-8 beeped indignantly, then rolled in circles purring away. "Yeah yeah, I know. You're innocent," Poe said with a laugh. 

"Are we ready to be off?" Rey asked, standing to face Poe. 

"Just about. I've got one thing to take care of before we go. Can you gather up Finn and let the General know we're about to depart?" 

"I'm on it," Rey said with a mischievous smile. "Commander." Without another word, she turned and went off to do as he had asked it. 

_I get why Finn likes her so much. She's funny._ Poe thought as he made his way to the med tent. 

A male Sullestan medic was seated outside, filling out a chart. 

"Racht, right?" Poe asked. The Sullestan nodded. "Is she awake?" 

"She is. She's doing quite well now. You can go in if you'd like." 

"Thanks." Poe smiled as he ducked into the tent. 

"Well, well, well, look who it is. Commander Dameron." Rose's face lit up with a genuine smile of surprise. "I must admit, I didn't expect a visit from you." 

"Hey, how are you feeling? We've all been worried about you. Especially Finn." Poe sat down on an unused cot beside Rose. There were bruises and burns, but her face was glowing with vitality and energy. 

"I'm fine. He was just here not too long ago. He's really upset with himself about the whole thing. But, I told him the past was the past, and that he was just doing what he thought was right. We both were." Her smile took on a bit of a sad quality. "Anyway, you're about to go on a mission?" 

Poe nodded. "Supplies and information. We're leaving in a few minutes." 

"But you decided to stop by to see me first?" Rose looked at him in a curious way, as if she knew something that he did not. 

"I, uh, yeah." Poe was suddenly at a loss for words. He looked down at his hands. He was surprised to feel his eyes getting wet, and, looking back up, he could see the surprise in Rose's face when she realized it too. "Listen, I just wanted to thank you. For taking care of him. For saving him. When I wasn't there to do it." The tears spilled over and started to drip down onto his lap. "Ugh, I'm sorry." He wiped at his eyes, embarrassed that he was getting so emotional in front of a woman he barely knew. 

"Hey, it's ok, Poe." Concern filled her voice as she reached out and took his hand. "I saved Finn because I care about him. And if you had known what he was doing, you would have done the same, given the opportunity. You don't have to thank me for that. Ok?" 

Poe sniffled and gave her a shaky smile. "Yeah, ok. Thanks, Rose. You see things clearly. That's an admirable trait." 

Rose's warm smile returned. "I appreciate you saying that. One of the things that I can see clearly is that there's plenty going on between you and Finn, even if you both aren't quite sure what it is yet." Poe could only nod as she went on. "You care about him. A lot. And he cares about you. But, I think he's scared. I think he's not sure what he should be feeling. Being raised up by the First Order wasn't easy on him. Be gentle with him. Give him space and time to figure himself out. But don't be afraid to tell him how you really feel." 

"Thank you, Rose. Truly." He squeezed her hand before releasing it as he stood to go. "Well, we've got a mission to get to. Take care of the Resistance for me while I'm gone, eh?" He cocked a grin at her. 

"I wouldn't dream of doing anything else, Commander. And, Poe?"

"Yeah?"

"Take care of him."

He smiled. "Always." 

* * *

"Commander?" 

Poe turned to look at Leia before heading up into the Falcon. "Yes, General?" 

"Good luck. Stay safe. And may the Force be with you." 

Poe grinned, nodded, and continued up the ramp as it started to close with the groan of machinery. He walked to the cockpit. Rey and Chewie were seated, flipping switches and going through their preflight checklist. BB-8 rocked next to Finn, who stood leaning in the doorway, looking out the cockpit window where Poe could see the General and Lieutenant Connix watching them take off. 

Finn's posture changed, and he paused for a moment as if he had felt something. He turned to look back at Poe, locking eyes with him. Poe felt a current of happiness pass through him at the sight of Finn standing there. They both smiled at each other. So much passed between them with a look, yet not a word was said. Poe walked up to stand next to Finn. He reached his right hand over and took Finn's left, twining their fingers together. Finn gave his hand a squeeze in response. Poe cleared his throat, turning to look out at the General. 

"Alright then. Let's go help our Resistance out. Next stop, planet Delphon." 


	9. Chapter 9 -- Doubts and Fears -- Finn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As our heroes search for an incognito way to approach Anthan Spire, Finn thinks about his past and his future.

Darkness. 

That's all that Finn could see ahead of him. Darkness all around, except from one panel over in a corner which hosted a few blinking blue lights. Finn hated sleeping in the darkness. The darkness was unsettling because it let his mind play tricks on him. _If you can't see where you are, then you can be wherever your brain tells you that you are,_ Finn thought with a shudder. 

These past couple of weeks had been so frantic and exhausting that Finn didn't remember dreaming. He had been too tired to care about sleeping in the dark or on a hard and uncomfortable surface. Now he was more rested. He had been given a chance to breathe and catch up with himself. Now, he was trying to sleep in a dark sleeping compartment aboard the Falcon while attempting to not overthink everything about his life. He considered his conversation with Rose before they had left the Resistance on the unnamed moon base. He had been so afraid that he would cause her emotional pain, but she seemed to take it in stride like she did most other things. 

_"Don't even worry about apologizing. I can see it on your face. And it's fine. You would have done the same for me."_

_Finn fidgeted uncomfortably. "I'm really glad you're ok. I was so worried."_

_"So, what's next for you?"_

_"We're about to leave on a supply mission. Rey, me, and...." He trailed off. "There's actually something else. Another reason I wanted to see you before we left."_

_Rose looked a bit sheepish at that moment. "I'm sorry if I was too forward. We can forget it happened if you want."_

_"No, it's not that, exactly. I care about you, Rose. I really do. You're an incredibly strong and kind person. It's just that--"_

_"It's fine if you don't feel the same way." Rose reached out and took his hand. "Really, Finn."_

_"I don't think that I'm... romantically interested.... in women." He couldn't believe how hard it was to say those words, but he had never uttered anything like them in his life. What if Rose hated him now? What if they all shunned him? He didn't know what was right or normal. These types of things had been forbidden by the First Order._

_"Hey!" Finn snapped his head up. His mind had been spiraling away, but Rose brought him back. "It's ok, Finn. Thank you for telling me. I care about you, Finn. That won't change."_

Rey had found him then and told him that they were prepping to leave. Rose had squeezed his hand, given him a warm smile, and sent him off on his way. Now, here he was in the dark. Alone. Afraid of what his unconcentrated mind might show him. 

* * *

Sleep must have found him eventually, for the next thing he knew, he jumped up, terrified and drenched in sweat. Chest heaving, he put his face in his hands and sobbed, wracked with grief and sorrow. Terrible nightmares had gripped him. Most of his memories growing up were unpleasant, but these ones had been twisted by darkness and run havoc through his mind. Cruel generals and captains had punished them severely as they grew and learned. They would be beaten and tormented, locked in pitch-black cells for long periods of time, left to get lost in the horrors of their own minds. 

And then, they would come in gently. Apologizing for the extreme measures they had needed to take. That it was unfortunate, but necessary, for if little FN-2187 hadn't done what he had, then such punishments wouldn't be necessary. Tat the First Order rewarded loyalty and conformity, and if he would just comply, his life would be easier. 

It was all lies, of course. He had no true value to the First Order. None of them did. They were raised to fight and die, and that was it. The older Finn had gotten, the more apparent that had become. But there was no escaping the First Order. No corner of the galaxy could truly be far enough away, hidden enough, safe enough, that Finn could ever truly escape. At least, that's what he had believed for years. Traitors were executed with extreme prejudice. He had seemed to seal his fate the day he refused to fire his weapon on Jakku. 

He wasn't sure how long it took him to calm down. Time didn't matter in the darkness. Eventually, he stopped his tears and steadied his breathing, bringing peace to his heart. But he could not bring peace to his mind. He got up from the bunk and wandered through the Falcon. Chewie's snores reverberated throughout the rooms, but other than that, there was no sign of anyone else. 

Not sure what else to do, he entered the cockpit and sat down in the pilot's chair. They settled the ship on a slowly drifting asteroid caught in a gravitational field around a dense-atmosphere planet with no ground or life. He couldn't remember the name, and it didn't really matter. Right now, the planet was hidden from view, and an infinite field of stars lay before him. The sight of space had always calmed him, stretched out forever in all directions. 

He felt a shift inside his heart. 

"Hey," said a soft voice behind him. 

He rotated the chair to see Poe standing in the doorway. His hair was messy, and sleep still clouded his face, but there he was with a slight smile lifting the corners of his mouth and warming his gaze. The pilot was dressed down for bed with a pair of light linen trousers and a tight grey short-sleeved shirt. The shirt highlighted his muscular torso, and Finn's breath caught as he took in the defined pectoral muscles and the large biceps straining the sleeves. 

_Gods dammit, he's so attractive. How in the whole of the galaxy did I find the most attractive man in it?_

"Poe. Hey." 

"Can I join you?" He asked, tilting his head at the co-pilot chair. 

Finn smiled. "I'd like that." As Poe took a seat, Finn rotated to look back out into space. It was comforting, to feel Poe there beside him. Within reach. 

"Can't sleep?" Poe queried. 

Finn let out a long sigh. "No. Too many nightmares." 

Concern entered Poe's voice as he asked, "Are you ok? Do you want to talk about it? Can I do anything?" 

Finn smiled again. "I appreciate it, but I'm fine. I don't really want to think about it right now. Too many bad memories wrapped up in it all." 

"I'm sorry, Finn. I can't imagine you have a lot of happy memories of your youth. But we don't have to talk about it now." 

Finn could feel Poe looking at him, studying his face, warmth and concern flowing from the pilot. A silence fell between them. 

He wasn't sure why, but Finn suddenly found himself talking. "When I was young, we were raised on a very miserable and cloudy planet. We very rarely saw clear skies. I couldn't remember my family. I had been too young when I was taken. Friendships were frowned upon, but some of us managed to, I don't know, communicate mutual respect to each other. We would look out for each other, but we were always secretive about it. We never knew when someone might be watching. We never knew what we would be punished for." 

Poe was silent, but Finn knew that he was taking in every word. At first, he wasn't sure why he was talking about this, but as he explained, he began to understand. He continued. 

"Anyway, I had a, well, a friend, I guess. His designation was FN-8423. We would refer to each other by the last two digits of our names. He called me Eight-Seven, and I called him Two-Three. One thing that we would do was sneak away on the rare occasions that the skies cleared. It would only happen once or twice in a year, but when it did, we would find a way to look up at the night sky. The stars. The galaxy. We wouldn't talk. We would just stare out into that vast infinity. I don't know what he thought about, but I thought that maybe, just maybe, there was a place out there in that unending galaxy that I could be free. Maybe there was a place I could be safe. A place that even the First Order couldn't find me. When I looked out into the stars, I felt something inside of me. Hope." 

"Finn..." Poe said softly. Finn could tell that he wanted to say more, but he didn't know where to start. Finn turned to look at him. Concern narrowed and creased his handsome face, and his beautiful eyes locked with Finn and seemed to stare deep inside. 

"I'm telling you this because I'm not sure what I feel right now, or what I've been feeling lately. So much has changed in the past two weeks of my life, and I'm still trying to figure out who I am. But I do know one thing. When I look at you, I feel the same hope that the sight of space always gave me. I'm not sure what it means, but..." He trailed off, turning to look back out into space. 

He tried again. "I want you in my life, Poe. I care about you in ways that I don't yet understand. These feelings inside of me have grown and changed so much. And I just hope that... Well, that you can be patient with me as I try to figure all of this out." 

Poe reached out and took Finn's hand, holding it between both of his, causing Finn to turn and look at him again. "Finn, I will support you no matter what. We can take all the time we need because when I see you, I also feel hope. You give me hope, Finn. Right now, there's no place I'd rather be than by your side." He reached out and brushed aside the silent tears that flowed down Finn's face. 

Finn was overwhelmed with warmth and emotion. He looked deep into Poe's eyes and saw that Poe was having a similar experience. "Thank you, Poe." Poe smiled and leaned forward out of his chair. Finn closed his eyes as Poe firmly kissed him on the forehead, still holding his hand, hovering there for a moment. 

Without another word, Poe sat down, and both men turned to look out at the stars, hope exploding within their chests, fingers joining one to the other, at peace with each other and the world around them, if only for a moment. 


	10. Chapter 10 -- Doubts and Fears -- Poe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the windswept planet of Delphon, Poe and company run into trouble.

Poe's thoughts and heart were both racing wildly. He focused on two things to help him find calm: the stillness of space in front of him and the feeling of Finn's hand in his. The stars were endless and eternal and unyielding. Finn's hand was warm and soft and strong. Poe felt as though every moment spent with Finn filled him even more full of emotion than he could bear. Sitting here with Finn, sharing this moment of emotion and vulnerability, it was all so unexpectedly perfect.

He wasn't sure how long they sat there, both content to share the other's company. He heard Finn's breathing shift, and he looked over to see that the previously troubled man had finally drifted to sleep. He took the opportunity to just sit there and look at Finn. His strong, handsome features were soft, and his incredible full lips parted slightly as he breathed through his mouth, sinking deeper into rest. Poe wanted so badly to smother that beautiful man in kisses.

_I could look at him all day. All night. For the rest of my life. I just want to look at him._

Poe had once learned about a race called the Diathim. They were said to be ethereal and beautiful, beings made of light that appeared differently depending on who viewed them. Poe thought of them now as he watched Finn sleep. Surely, as beautiful as the Diathim were said to be, their beauty could not compare to this man beside him. His heart swelled with love and passion, so much so that he wasn't sure he could contain it all. He had never felt this way before. He had never imagined that he could feel this way. He would do anything to keep this man safe, to protect him and safeguard him, and to make sure that he was always supported and loved. Anything. 

* * *

Poe sat and watched Finn sleep for as long as he could, but eventually, he realized it was getting near the time that the others would be waking up. He gently untangled his hand, setting Finn's on his lap, and lightly kissed Finn on the forehead again before setting off to begin preparations. It would not be long before they were to be on the planet Delphon. 

As he packed food and water for traveling on foot, dressed, and freshened up, he heard Rey and Chewbacca begin moving about. As Rey walked into the room, Poe put his finger to his lips to signal for her to remain quiet, nodding his head toward the cockpit. 

"Finn is sleeping in the pilot's chair," He said in a low voice as she neared him. "He didn't sleep much last night. Nightmares. Let's let him sleep as long as we can." 

Rey gave him a coy look before shuffling off to ready herself. He still didn't really know much about her, but he knew she cared about Finn, which was all that mattered right then. That, and obviously she was willing to do anything for the Resistance. 

Within the hour everything was prepped and ready to go, and it was time to wake Finn up so they could set off. Poe stopped to watch Finn sleeping for one last moment, wishing that he could stay like this with him forever. But, the fate of the galaxy was at stake after all. He placed a hand firmly on Finn's shoulder, giving him a few light shakes. "Finn. Hey, Finn. Time to wake up." 

Finn's eyes opened and a smile spread across his face as he looked up at Poe. "Hey, you." 

Poe's heart leaped and sang within his chest. 

* * *

The planet Delphon was windy. _Really_ windy. 

"My hair is a nightmare right now. How do people live on this planet?" Poe complained. 

"You look fine. As always," Finn replied without looking back. 

_As always?! Well then..._

"If you two are quite done worrying about your hair and how you look," Rey remarked, coming up behind them, "We really should consider the more important matters at hand. Like what exactly our plan is for acquiring a ship." 

They had been walking for about a half an hour, ever since Chewbacca had left them about an hour south of the primary city. From what they had seen, Delphon was characterized by wide-ranging plateaus and abundantly grassy plains, all of it constantly tormented by an endless wind. Delphon was in the Outer Rim and, for the most part, was pretty sparsely populated. Small villages and nomadic tribes wandered the grasslands, with a few cities for the exception. 

"The plan," Poe stated, "is to reach the city, make contact with an old acquaintance of mine, and purchase an inconspicuous light freighter." 

"And what was this city called again?" Finn asked from the front. 

Poe sighed. "Uhh, well I think they just call it Delphon City." 

"Delphon City. What a name. Wonder how they thought of it." Finn replied, the dryness of his tone evident. 

After hiking for another ten minutes or so, they rounded a large rock formation to find the city sprawled out below them. The city was, well... It was a bit miserable looking, to be honest. The buildings were mostly low to the ground, most likely due to the incessant wind, and everything looked sand-scraped and dull, various shades of brown and grey. It was definitely more a city of necessity than one of luxury. The one saving grace was the very busy looking landing port. A variety of ships stood at the ready, and more than a few were landing and taking off. 

"Well, there it is. Now to make contact." Poe started down the gradual descent to the edge of the city. 

"Oh no." He twisted to look back at Rey, who was staring with concern at the western edge of the settlement. More specifically, she was looking at a First Order troop transport ship and two Tie-Fighters set up next to their small camp. 

"Sonofabitch," Poe swore. "Of course the First Order is here. They're like a damn plague." 

"Calm down, both of you." Finn stood, carefully examining the ships. "That's a troop transport, designed to carry at the most twenty stormtroopers, but most likely has ten to fifteen and a lieutenant or commander. The Tie-Fighters will have a pilot each. As long as we're careful, we'll never encounter them in a city this size." 

"I'm just worried about why they're here at all." Poe rubbed his forehead where the First Order headache was starting to form. 

Finn had an answer for that, as well. "My guess? A specific purpose. Maybe looking for something or a certain local supply. Either that or they're merely here to maintain a presence. Remind the people of Delphon City who controls the galaxy. Even the Outer Rim." 

"Rey, thoughts?" Poe looked to the Jedi. 

"Nope. I agree with Finn. Let's just keep on our toes and we'll likely not need to worry about it."

"Okay then, the plan stays the same. Shall we?" Without another word, the three of them began the walk down to the city edge. 

_Just gotta stay on our toes and not draw attention to ourselves. No problem. Piece of cake._

* * *

Staying on their toes proved to be easier said than done. As they navigated the low buildings, they had to duck down narrow alley ways several times to avoid either the sight of stormtroopers or the sound of their comm chatter. Still, they made good progress, despite the constant obstacles. 

"Is it just me," Poe uttered in a low growl as they hid from yet another pair of troopers, "Or does it seem like there are way more troops in this city than those ships made it seem." 

"It's not just you. It seems the number of ships wasn't necessarily indicative of the number of troops on this planet." Finn's reply wasn't exactly what Poe wanted to hear, but it was honest nonetheless. 

Rey chimed in. "Just to clarify, you do know where you're going, right?" 

"Eh, more or less," was Poe's response as he continued on. 

"Not exactly confidence-inspiring," she fired back. "But I suppose it will have to do. Who exactly are we planning to meet?" 

"Uhhh, an old acquaintance. Used to serve in the New Republic fleet with me. Ishi Tib gentleman by the name of Bakshi." 

"And we can trust this guy? To help the Resistance?" Finn asked, worry evident in his voice. 

"Well, more or less." 

"More or less!?" Rey stopped in disbelief. "Are you sure this is the best idea?" 

Poe rolled his eyes. "No, obviously I don't think it's the BEST idea, but it's one of the few ideas we have. In case you haven't noticed, the Resistance is currently in short supply of allies. Bakshi is really the best we've got at this point, like it or not." 

"Great, so we're walking into a disaster." Rey threw up her hands, exasperated. 

"Hey, stop it you two." Finn looked at them both sternly. "Rey, I trust Poe to take care of us. If you can't trust him, can you at least trust me?" He met her eyes, pleading. 

"Yes, I trust you. And for the record, I don't NOT trust Poe." 

"Thank you, Rey. That vote of confidence is _very_ inspiring." Poe turned away and kept moving. 

Finn sighed. "Come on, guys...." He gave Rey one last insistent look before following Poe, smiling slightly when he heard her follow. 

Within another ten minutes, they approached a small dwelling with a curious red mark on the door. 

"This is it." Poe looked around before banging on the door heavily. He turned to look at the others. "It's probably best if we don't mention the Resistance. Just in case. We just need a ship. Bakshi can help us with that." 

They heard the door swing open. "By all the stars in the sky, Poe Dameron!" The Ishi Tib known as Bakshi stood in the open doorway, a look of delight on his wrinkled face. Ishi Tib were a curious species, characterized by folds of skin, protruding eyes, and beak-like mouths. 

"Hey, Bakshi! Long time no see! Listen, need your help with a bit of a business transaction. Can we come in?" 

"Yes, yes, better hurry in. Those First Order bastards have been prowling about causing trouble lately." He ushered them into a fairly spacious dimly-lit room before slamming and locking the door behind them. "Honestly, those idiots think they own the whole galaxy." 

"Well, Bakshi, they certainly are trying." Poe tried to keep the nerves out of his voice. "Anyway, this is Finn and Rey. I was hoping you could help me purchase a ship. Something light and fast, maybe a small freighter. Money is no issue." 

The Ishi Tib looked them over before settling back on Poe. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were in trouble."  
"Trouble is a very ambiguous term," Poe replied. "So, what do you say? Help an old pal out?" 

"Of course, Dameron. We flew together. But I take it we don't want to attract the attention of the First Order, eh?" 

"Gee, Bakshi, how'd you know?" 

The Ishi Tib gave him a serious look. "Lucky guess. Alright, let me reach out to a few---" He was interrupted by a loud banging on the door. 

A muffled voice shouted through the metal. "Open up, by directive of the First Order and the Supreme Leader Kylo Ren, we are authorized to search any and all dwellings in this city." 

"Fuck." Poe cursed. "Of course, of course, of course!" 

Bakshi turned to them. "Quick, in the back room. There's a cabinet with a false back that slides to the left. Hide in there. He turned back toward the door. "Just a minute! I need to dress myself!" 

Poe nodded is head at Rey and grabbed Finn's hand, pulling him after him down the hallway.

"Poe, wait, that voice---" 

"Finn, we don't have time." They reached the room, Rey shutting the door behind them. Poe rushed to the cabinet, pulled open the doors, and quickly slid the false back aside. "Quick, get in!" He whispered urgently as they could hear Bakshi opening the front door. He turned to see Finn listening at the door, then his eyes went wide and he stared back at Poe with shock. "Finn! Let's go!" Poe jumped forward and grabbed Finn's hand, pulling the other man toward the cabinet and pushing him ahead. 

"Poe--" Finn started. 

Poe pulled the cabinet closed behind them and slid the back panel shut. They were in a tiny room full of communications equipment. Clearly, Bakshi was keeping an ear out for what was going on in the galaxy at large. Poe strained to hear what was happening in the front room.

"Poe, just listen." Finn whispered, taking Poe's hand in his. 

Poe looked at his face and could see that he was clearly upset about something. "Finn, what's wrong?" 

"One of the troopers. I recognized the voice. And Bakshi told them to identify their unit designations. Poe, it's FN-8423. It's Two-Three. My old... well, friend." All three of them froze as they heard the troopers walking back the hallway toward the room they hid within. 

Poe locked eyes with Finn. "We'll be ok," he whispered, squeezing Finn's hand. Finn squeezed back as they waited, frozen in fear of being discovered. 


	11. Chapter 11 -- The Meaning of Obligation -- Finn

_FN-2187 -- Age 12_

_FN-2187 was at his desk, as usual, studying yet another training manual on firearm maintenance. He could take apart pretty much any energy weapon, clean it, and put it back together in working order in less than ten minutes, five if he skipped the cleaning part. These were the things that the First Order wanted him to know, not things that he actually wanted to learn. He wanted to learn about space and distant planets and unfamiliar creatures._

_“Eight-Seven!” He heard an urgent whisper through the vent by his head. He glanced around but, but his three other roommates were already asleep. He glanced at the clock on the wall. Pretty late._

_“Two-Three?”_

_“The skies are clearing,” came the whispered reply._

_His heart jumped in his chest. “Five minutes.” He quietly closed his manual, pushed his chair in, and slowly opened the door out into the hall. He poked his head out cautiously and saw that no one was around. He set off through his usual route, squeezing through narrow passages not meant for daily travel until he reached the ladder leading up to the roof access. Two-Three had managed to figure out the code for the hatch at the top last year, and it hadn’t been changed yet. Apparently, nobody even thought about this access point._

_“You made it.” Two-Three stepped out from behind a steam pipe, a mischevious smile on his face. The other boy was around the same age, muscular for his age, but about a head taller than FN-2187. He had very dark skin and a perpetual look of mischief on his face, which had earned him more than a few beatings. Without another word, Two-Three scrambled up the ladder, input the code, and slid up through the small access hatch. FN-2187 followed quickly._

_Pulling himself up onto the roof and steadying his balance, he looked up at the sky. This was what he lived for any more, these rare occurrences when the sky would open up on their dingy, miserable planet when the galaxy would reveal itself to him and Two-Three. Neither boy spoke as they looked into that endless ocean of lights._

_FN-2187 breathed deeply, relaxed his body, as he’d been taught, and focused his attention and imagination on those distant points of light. He forgot his body, the roof, even Two-Three as mind meshed with that beautiful infinity and all of the possibilities it presented. He didn’t know how long had passed for sure, but he knew that Two-Three had kept track, as he often did._

_Two-Three laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Come on, Eight-Seven. We better get back.”_

_FN-2187 took one last look, one last breath at the sight of hope before turning to nod at Two-Three. In silence, he climbed back into the oppressive darkness of the training facility, his heart catching at the edge of the roof, resisting the return to cold unfeeling masters who had no other goal than to raise him up to fight and die._

* * *

Finn -- Now 

Finn, Poe, and Rey stood silently in the dark, secret room hidden within Bakshi's dwelling. They could hear the sound of shuffling armor and heavy boot-steps as a pair of stormtroopers inspected the rooms, looking for who knew what. Finn reached out and took Poe's hand in his left and Rey's in his right, trying to remain calm in the cloying darkness. The door to the bedroom opened, and all three of them froze completely, barely breathing as they could hear the troopers checking the room. The moment stretched on until--

"All clear. Nothing of interest. Move out." 

_It really is him. Two-Three. He's still alive after all these years._ Finn and Two-Three had been around 17 years old when they had been separated, the FN unit split up to its various appointments. Their relationship had been simple but consistent, and they had shared many more silent moments on that rooftop with the sky open above them. They had parted ways with a quiet look and a firm handshake, neither daring to be more emotional. Then, Finn had watched as Two-Three and a battalion of 200 other troopers boarded transports and left the planet's surface. Two days later, Finn had been given his own appointment. He had always wondered what had happened to the other man. 

After a few tense moments, Bakshi yelled back, "It's all clear." 

The three of them squeezed back out of the cabinet into the bedroom. 

"If I didn't know any better," Bakshi said, walking into the room, "I'd say you're trying to avoid the First Order." 

Poe rolled his eyes. "Says the man with the secret comm monitoring room in his house." 

"Well, you know me. I like to keep myself apprised of the goings-on of the galaxy. And if I discover an opportunity to mess with those First Order bastards, I don't hesitate to pass that information along. Old habits, you know?" 

"Then I'm sure you'd love to help your old pal Poe Dameron out, since I have plenty of messing around I'd like to take to the First Order's doorstep." 

"You don't even have to ask. Money's no problem, I believe you said?" The Ishi Tib left the question hang in the air. 

"You mean to tell me that you, Bakshi, won't help keep the galaxy free out of the kindness of your heart alone?" 

"Hey, a guy has to eat, you know." 

"Alright alright, maybe if you make it quick, I'll toss a little your way." 

"Now we're in business. You three stay here. Keep the lights off. I'll be back in an hour." Bakshi threw on a jacket, slid his blaster into his belt, and waved goodbye as he left. 

Nobody said anything for a few moments. It seemed none of them knew what to say. And then-

"I'm going to go and meditate. See if I can sense any additional dangers. Try to balance myself." Rey closed the door behind her, leaving Poe and Finn. 

Poe sat down on the end of the bed, but Finn was pacing back and forth, bothered by the fact that Two-Three was so close. There had to be something they could do, surely. Help him escape the First Order somehow? 

"Hey, uh, Finn? You ok? Why don't you sit down?" Poe seemed worried. 

"I'm fine," He said dismissively, continuing his endless pacing. 

"You sure about that? Because I would say you seem pretty upset about running into your old First Order pal." 

Finn stopped and looked at Poe. "Poe, we have to do something. Rescue him or something. Anything!" 

"Are you out of your mind? We can't attract that kind of attention!" Poe became heated. "Listen, I'm sure this isn't easy, but we can't be reckless. We have a mission." 

"But we can't just abandon him! He's a prisoner of the First Order, just like I was! Forced into a role he would never have chosen." Finn was waving his hands around, abandoning reason. 

"No matter who he was when you knew him, you don't know who he is now. He could have bought into the whole thing, for all we know. He may as likely shoot you on sight, or any of us, for that matter. Think!" 

Now Finn grew angry. "I am thinking! I'm thinking of all of the horrible things they did to him. To me. The torture. The beatings. The cruelty. How can I just give up on him when I know what he's been through!?" 

Poe softened, standing quickly to pull Finn tightly against him. Finn wept bitterly, sobs wracking his body. "I can't just abandon him, Poe. I can't let them take anything else from me. I've already lost so much." He collapsed against Poe as his grief and fear consumed him. Poe pulled him down on the bed and held him as he cried so hard that he started to hyperventilate, gasping for air. 

"Shhh, sh-sh-shhhh. It's okay. Finn, breathe. It's okay." 

Finn's tears started to slow as he took in big, gulping breaths, trying to steady himself. He sat up and wiped his face dry, embarrassed at how fully he had lost control. "I'm sorry, Poe. I didn't mean--" 

"Hey, it's okay. I told you before. Don't be ashamed of what you feel. You can always be yourself with me." Poe searched Finn's eyes. "By the stars in the sky, you're beautiful." Finn felt his face grow hot under Poe's gaze. Poe tilted his head up and kissed Finn firmly on the forehead before pulling back to look at him once again.

Finn felt so close to Poe in this intimate moment, physically and emotionally. Though he was upset about Two-Three, a part of him felt peace in this man's presence. Before he could think himself out of it, he leaned forward and kissed Poe on the lips. 

He had never really kissed anyone before, but after what must have been a moment of shock for Poe, the pilot took over. Poe parted his own lips around Finn's, moving them firmly yet softly, warm and considerate. Their kiss was like two hands twining fingers, folding into one another as if they belonged together, moving but never truly parting, joining the two men in a moment of passion. 

Poe pulled back slightly to end the kiss but did not move his face away from Finn's. Their foreheads pressed together, Finn closed his eyes and just breathed in the spicy-sweet scent of Poe, soaking in the moment and the warmth of the other man. 

Poe spoke first. "Wow. That was even better than I imagined it would be." 

"I honestly don't even know what to say," Finn replied. "Except when can we repeat this experience?" 

Poe chuckled. "Soon, I hope. But I guess we better figure out a plan for Two-Three first." 

Finn pulled back and looked at him. "Are you sure?" 

"I promised someone that I had every intention of supporting you. And if you really want to do something, then I will help you."

"Oh, Poe" Finn pulled Poe tightly against him. "Thank you." 

"Don't thank me quite yet; there is a but. We need to be smart about this. We absolutely cannot attract the First Order's attention. If they know we were here, they'll find out what ship we're flying and this will have all been pointless. So before we decide anything further, are you absolutely sure that Two-Three won't throw us at Kylo Ren's mercy?" 

Finn pulled away and closed his eyes, searching his heart, letting himself feel that awareness that had been waking up inside of him. _Is this the right thing to do? Or is this a terrible mistake that will doom us all?_

He opened his eyes and nodded confidently at Poe. "I'm sure." 

Poe took in a deep breath. "Okay then. We need to think and act quickly. We don't have time to spare." He turned his head toward the door and raised his voice. "Rey? We've got a slight complication in here!" He looked back at Finn and smiled broadly. "Let's go help your friend," Poe said before giving Finn a quick peck on the lips. 

* * *

The front door opened and Baskhi rushed inside, closing it quickly behind him. Poe raised his eyebrow. "Trouble?"

The Ishi Tib bolted the door and turned, brushing himself off. "None. We're all set. I've got you set up with a YT-2400 light freighter. Standard paint job, grey body, red accents, hope that's alright." 

"No, Bakshi, I really was hoping it would be much flashier. YES, it's fine." Poe sighed, exasperated. 

"I'm just trying to be considerate of your needs, Dameron. Don't be a dick about it." 

Poe rolled his eyes. "Anyway...." 

"Right, anyway. Belongs to an old pal of mine, a Bothan by the name of Dartesh. Good guy, fought in the battle of Jakku back in the day. Calls the ship Starlight, but I suppose you can change that if it's not to your liking. He's going to meet you two kilometers west of the city. Bunch of big rocks that way, so you shouldn't be noticed. You've got about three hours to get over there, so I suggest you get yourselves ready to go and be waiting for him." 

Poe smiled with satisfaction. "Bakshi, my friend, I knew you would come through. There's just one other question we need to ask you." He turned to Finn. 

"Right. The stormtroopers who were in here earlier. One of them did all the talking. Was there anything distinguishing about his armor that would help us pick him out?" Finn tried to keep the urgency out of his voice, but he was starting to get incredibly anxious about this plan. 

Bakshi looked from Finn to Poe and back again. "Hold on a minute, what shenanigans--"

Poe cut in. "Bakshi, please. Just tell us if you know anything. We'll be on our way, and you'll be out of this." 

Bakshi gave a harrumph and gave Finn a long, skeptical look. "He was a chief. Ya know, red shoulder plate to make him stand out. Pretty sure he's the only chief in the city right now. That enough?" 

Finn felt some relief. "Yes, Bakshi. Thank you." 

Poe stood forward. "Let's talk over here about that money for a moment." 

Rey came to face Finn. "How are you feeling?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure. A bit panicked, I guess." 

She smiled warmly at him. "It's going to be ok. Trust what you feel. I think that it's a very brave and compassionate thing to want to do. I'm proud of you." 

The warmth of his love and admiration for Rey strengthened him. "Thank you, Rey." 

"Anything for my brother," She said with a wink, causing Finn to smile broadly. "Ready to do this?" He nodded. "Okay. I want you to take my hands, close your eyes, and think about Two-Three very clearly. Think about how you felt when you were with him as a teenager. Hold his face in your mind." 

Finn did as he was told, clasping both of Rey's hands tightly, remembering his focus training as he thought about Two-Three. Feelings of peace and companionship in the darkness of that facility and under the brilliant light of the galaxy. He felt something inside of him. The growing awareness he had been noticing seemed to gain strength as he felt a connection between him and Rey. He heard her inhale sharply. 

"I can sense him. He's still going door to door inspecting homes. He's headed southwest. You should be able to catch up to him quickly." 

He opened his eyes and smiled at her. "Thank you." Over his shoulder, he called to Poe. "It's time to go." 

The three of them faced Bakshi, each shaking his hand and thanking him for his help, and then left the relative safety of his home and ventured back out into the swirling winds of Delphon. 

* * *

The navigated the streets as quickly as they could, listening for the sound of trooper comm chatter as they went. They were fortunate enough to not run into any more trouble. Within ten minutes, they heard the sound of shuffling armor and boots on the hard-packed earth. Peaking around the edge of a building, Finn saw two stormtroopers walking away from them down a wide street, one of whom had a red shoulder plate. 

"It's them."

As planned, they rushed silently across the street behind Two-Three and his companion and hurried down the parallel alley behind the next row of buildings. Another five minutes had passed before they were far enough ahead of them. 

Poe took Finn's hand and squeezed. "Ready for this?" 

"I've got you two with me. I'm ready for anything." 

Rey nodded at them both. "Here we go." She threw herself down to kneel on her hands and knees, obscuring her face as much as possible. "Help! Can someone please help me?" She began calling out as soon as the troopers passed the opening to the alley. "Please, can you help me?" Finn and Poe, waiting around the corner, held their breath as they heard the troopers stop and start down toward them. Finn tensed. 

"Here, let me help you up." Two-Three's companion offered his arm to Rey, who took it before looking into his visor and calmly intoning, "You're incredibly tired and wish to take a rest." The trooper dropped to the ground, fast asleep. 

"What the--" Two-Three started. 

Finn jumped out from behind the building. "Two-Three, wait!" 

Two-Three froze, his weapon half-raised at Rey. "FN-2187?!" He holstered his weapon, reached up, and removed his helmet. "Eight-Seven?! Is that really you?" His face had hardened over the years, and two gnarled scars tore down his left cheek, but it was him. It was Two-Three, and there was still that same glint of mischief in his eye.

"It's me, Two-Three." 

"By the stars." Two-Three moved forward and wrapped his arms tightly around Finn who didn't hesitate to return the embrace. "I never thought I would see you again. I didn't hear anything of you until a couple of weeks ago. It spread like wildfire that the stormtrooper known as FN-2187 had committed treason." 

Finn pulled away. "It's true. When I was asked to kill, I couldn't do it. I refused. I helped Poe escape, and now I'm with the Resistance." 

"But, why are you here now on Delphon, Eight-Seven?" Two-Three searched his face for answers. 

Finn glanced at Rey and Poe. Poe nodded. "We're acquiring a clean ship. When I heard your voice, I knew it was you. I had to come to find you, to see if there is anything we can do to help you escape the First Order. And, I don't go by Eight-Seven anymore. It's Finn." 

"Huh. Finn. It suits you." Two-Three glanced at Rey for a long moment, then Poe. "I suppose I should thank you two for taking care of him. We looked out for each other as best we could in our training days, but it seems he's in good hands now." 

"So, what do you say, Two-Three. Will you come with us?" Finn tried to keep the eager note from his voice. 

Two-Three looked down at the ground. "No, Finn. I'm afraid I won't. I can't."

Finn felt his stomach drop. Had he been wrong about Two-Three? Had he needlessly endangered Rey and Poe by making them join him on this fool's errand?

As if Two-Three could sense his concern, he raised a palm in a motion of reassurance. "Don't worry. The First Order will not learn that you were here. Not from me. But I cannot go with you." 

"But, why not?" Finn didn't understand. 

"Do you remember those nights on the roof, when we would look up at the stars in the galaxy stretching out above us?" 

"Of course I remember. That was the only time I felt hope in those days. Hope that I could someday escape that horrible place and the First Order's reach." 

Two-Three nodded. "When I looked up at those endless lights, I thought about how I was going to weaken the First Order from within. I was plotting for years, trying to develop an effective strategy to constantly obstruct their actions. When we sat on that roof, I hardened my resolve to do that." 

Finn didn't know what to say, but he felt something inside of him break off and fade away, and he knew that this would likely be the last time he saw Two-Three. It was certain that his old friend would not be coming with them. "I understand, Two-Three. You have a mission to continue." 

"I do. I lead a small guerrilla resistance group from within the First Order. We smuggle intel out as often as we can. We deliberately disrupt missions. It's logical and planned for every tiny detail, but we are doing everything we can to halt their evil deeds. It seems we both found our own way to stand up to the abuses of our past." A wry, crooked smile tilted the corners of his mouth. 

Finn pulled Two-Three in for another hug. "Thank you, my friend. For all you gave me when we were growing up. For all you're doing now to protect the galaxy. Thank you." He pulled away and took one last look at Two-Three. 

Two-Three nodded at him, before giving him a sharp salute. "Goodbye, Finn." He looked to Rey, then Poe. "Take care of him. He's a good man." 

Poe reached a hand up and grasped Finn's shoulder. "Always." 

Rey bowed slightly. "Good luck, Two-Three. And may the Force be with you." 

Without another word, Two-Three put his helmet back on and pulled his sleeping companion up onto his shoulder, then turned and walked steadily away from the trio. Finn watched for one more minute as his old friend disappeared around a corner, the wind kicking up dust in swirls throughout the alley. He turned to Rey and Poe. 

"Let's go." Rey took the lead, heading due west toward their rendezvous. Poe took his hand, twining their fingers, and together they set off to the next part of their journey. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all, the ~~FIRST KISS~~.  
> I was so excited to finally write it! :D


	12. Chapter 12 -- The Meaning of Obligation -- Poe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anthan Spire awaits.

With a sigh of release, Poe sat back in the pilot’s chair of the _Starlight,_ feeling the tension leave his shoulders. It wasn’t exactly the most exciting name for a secret Resistance vessel, that was for sure. 

_Gonna have to think of something a bit cooler._

Their departure from Delphon had been, thankfully, uneventful. After they had watched Two-Three walk back into the belly of the beast, so to speak, they had hiked to the rendezvous point, exchanged funds for ship, and taken off immediately. Poe had jumped to hyperspace, bringing them within the same solar system as Anthan Prime, and settled them in one of its neighboring planets’ gravitational field. Tomorrow, they would approach Anthan Spire. Tonight, they rested and prepared. 

Although the First Order presence on Delphon had been unexpected, they had still managed to keep out of trouble. While some might consider themselves lucky at such a turn of events, it made Poe quite anxious. He couldn’t shake the feeling that there was a certain amount of danger in their future. It’s not that he didn’t believe in luck; it was more that he thought there was only so much of it to go around. As far as he was concerned, Delphon _had_ been a lucky break, which only made him think that they wouldn’t be as lucky in a far more dire situation. A couple dozen stormtroopers were one thing, but the potential dangers that Anthan Spire held…. Well. It was best to put it out of his mind for now. 

He could hear his mother’s voice in his mind. _“No point worrying about something until it’s right in front of you.”_ He hadn’t thought about his mother in a while. It had been hard, losing her when he was only eight years old. But--

 _There’s no point dwelling on things that you can’t change_ . That was something that he had come to learn over the years on his own. _I guess you can't learn everything from your mom._ When he was young, he had spent a lot of time rebelling against the world. Feeling angry about the things that he had lost. Eventually, he realized that those things only dragged him down and held him back. 

_In terms of things that I can change, where did Finn get off to?_ He hadn’t stopped thinking about that kiss since it had happened. Their first kiss. _Definitely not our last._ More importantly, though, he wondered how Finn was doing after encountering Two-Three. Surely such an encounter with his past couldn't have been easy. 

He leaned forward and rose to his feet before making his way to the bridge. Sitting at the central table was Rey, flipping through some information in a holo-file. 

She glanced up at Poe as he entered the room. “Commander,” she said, with a wry smile lifting the corners of her mouth. 

“Commander seems a bit formal,” Poe chuckled. “I think we can just stick with Poe. What’s that you’re looking at?”

“Background on our mission. Anthan Spire. Seems like an… interesting place.” 

“Dangerous place, is more like it. On the surface it’s very shiny and rich, but underneath, well, let’s just say all that money and gambling attracts a pretty seedy crowd.” 

“You seem worried. Have you been there before?” 

“Can’t say that I have. Which makes me more nervous, not less. At least on Delphon I had a basic idea of what we were looking for. Here, I’ve got nothing but rich assholes who sell weapons and a criminal underground known all across the galaxy. A bunch of war profiteering idiots and we have to find one who is more disposed to the Resistance than our enemy." 

"So, what exactly is our play then?" 

"We've got a name and that's about it. The General said we should try to make contact with someone known only as the Shipwright. Which is pretty fucking vague, but it's what we've got. So, tomorrow, we dock the _Starlight_ ," he made a face at the name, "and start discreetly asking around. See what we can find out." 

Rey laughed. "It really is a terrible name for a Resistance vessel, isn't it?" 

"That's what I was thinking!" Poe exclaimed. "We need something better. The ship itself isn't bad. But _Starlight?_ Come on. That's as generic as it gets." 

"I'll have to think about it. So, we need ships and weapons. And a new name." 

He nodded. "Correct. Rumor has it that the Shipwright can get us the first two. We also need information, which might be even trickier. We need to find someone who is going to talk to us and only us, and who isn't going to run off and sell our whereabouts to the First Order immediately." 

"We've certainly got a tall order." 

"We do. But the General believes in us. Plus, we've got a genuine Jedi on our side, right?" He cocked an eyebrow at her. 

"Well, I suppose. But your Jedi has a broken lightsaber right now. I'm hoping that Anthan Spire will provide me the opportunity to find the necessary parts to rebuild it."

"I have a feeling that one can find just about anything on Anthan Spire. Besides, a lightsaber is a bit flashy when you're trying to keep a low profile, so maybe it's for the best that you don't have it right now." 

"Has anyone thought of a better name for this ship?" Poe and Rey both looked over to Finn as he entered the room. "I mean, honestly. The _Starlight_? That's pretty lame."

Finn had changed into a pair of dark comfortable-looking pants and a loose shirt that was partially unbuttoned on the top. Poe's heart did backflips. The open shirt revealed the top of Finn's chest, well-muscled from years of military training, dark skin stretched tight over the slope of his pecs. 

_By the gods_ _, I want to rip that shirt off of him_. 

Rey chimed in. "It _has_ been a topic of conversation, yes. Suggestions?"

"Not yet. But anything would be better, right?" 

Poe sighed. "We're going to be calling this thing _Starlight_ forever at this rate."

Rey shut down her holo-file. "Well, I best be off to bed. Big day tomorrow. Don't be up too late, you two." She added the last part with a smirk. 

Finn pulled her into a quick hug. "Goodnight. And thank you for helping me on Delphon. I owe you one." 

Rey smiled. "Nonsense. That's what family is for. Night, boys." Poe half raised his hand to send her off. Finn watched as she left and waited for a beat before turning around. 

"Hey, you." He said quietly, a bit of apprehension on his face. 

Everything inside of Poe sang at the sight of Finn standing there, looking at him, AT HIM, with eyes and voice thick with emotion. Every moment spent with Finn--looking at Finn, Finn looking at him, interacting with him--Poe simultaneously wanted to never end and also couldn't wait for the next moment with him. He was in deep now. He didn't think there was any coming back from this one, and honestly, he didn't think he wanted to. With every passing moment, Finn became more and more enmeshed in his mind and his life. 

Finn cocked his head to the left. "You alright over there? Looks like a lot is going through that head." He smiled a smile that made Poe's heart ache at its beauty, a smile that was like a sun breaking over the horizon, lighting up Finn's face and sending warmth to Poe. 

Poe snapped himself back to the moment. "Hey yourself. I'm fine. More than fine, actually. Just distracted." 

Finn walked closer to him, and Poe became painfully aware of how much space was between them. "Distracted, eh?" A playfulness altered his smile and spread up to Finn's eyes as he gave Poe a lingering once over. "Dare I ask what you're so distracted by?" 

Poe felt his heart thudding in his chest, pounding away like it was going to burst free. "Well, as a matter of fact, I was distracted by how beautiful you are. And by how much I want to kiss you again." 

Finn walked even closer until they were only separated by a few inches. He didn't say anything else, just looked deeply into Poe's eyes, a yearning clear in his own. Poe lifted his right hand and slowly raised it next to Finn's face. Finn closed his eyes and leaned his head toward Poe's hand. Poe delicately ran his fingers over the curves and bends of Finn's face, feeling every contour, tracing sharp jawbones, lingering over full lips. He didn't know if his fingers were on fire or Finn's skin was, but the heat was intense. 

Poe stepped closer until the tiniest sliver of space remained between their bodies. He brought his face close to Finn's and let his lips glide gently in the places that his fingertips had just explored. He felt Finn shiver beneath his touch as Poe whispered against his cheek, "I want to remember every part of your face so that when I close my eyes, I can see you clearly in my mind." 

Finn was breathing heavily as if he was barely retaining control of himself. "Fuck, Poe, you're definitely helping me get rid of any uncertainty." 

Poe smiled against Finn's neck before kissing it softly, working his way back toward Finn's mouth. He reached Finn's waiting lips and folded his own within them, hungrily pulling at the other man's mouth. This time, Finn started to reciprocate the kiss, moving his own lips in an attempt to find a working rhythm. It was as two people dancing, one more experienced, the other just learning, both seeking a balance and fluidity between passion and ability. Finn's hands came up to Poe's head, caressing his face and running his fingers through Poe's hair, desperately seeking more contact. Poe began to deepen the kiss as his left hand reached around to the small of Finn's back, pulling their bodies together, finally, arousal growing in both of them. 

Finn pulled back slightly, panting for breath. "Wow. Wow wow wow." 

"Everything okay?" Poe asked, concerned. "I'm sorry if I got carried away." 

"No no, you're fine. You haven't done anything wrong. I just. I don't want to go too fast if that's alright. This is just so new and intense. Like, good intense. Really really good intense. But still intense." Finn was starting to ramble, clearly nervous he was upsetting Poe. 

"Hey," Poe said softly. Finn stopped and looked into his eyes. "It's fine. I get it. We can go as slow as you need to. There's no rush." 

Finn smiled. "Thank you, Poe. For being so understanding all of the time. You're so... considerate of how I feel. It's an interesting thing to get used to." Finn pulled Poe close and wrapped his arms around him in a tight embrace. Poe's right hand came up to cup the back of Finn's head as he buried his face in Finn's neck. Now, THIS could go on forever, and he wouldn't mind one bit. His heart slowed, and their bodies started to breathe in tandem, Poe inhaling as Finn exhaled, almost as if they were one moving part. 

"I have to say," Poe murmured into Finn's neck, "I don't know what it is you're doing to me, but I've never felt this way before. We will go as quickly or as slowly as you want to. I want you to be completely comfortable with me." 

"Thank you, Poe. Truly." 

They stayed like that for a little while, eyes closed, breathing together, finding comfort in each other. Poe couldn't remember being more at ease with anyone in his life. Eventually, reluctantly, he pulled away. 

"We should get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow." 

Finn sighed. "You're right. I'll see you tomorrow, then. I think I'll watch the stars for a bit. Goodnight, Poe Dameron." Finn leaned forward and kissed Poe, a sweet and uncomplicated kiss, before turning and walking to the cockpit. 

"Goodnight, my beautiful Finn," Poe whispered to himself as he watched the other man walk away. Oh yeah. He was in deep. 

* * *

" _Starshot,_ " Finn suggested. 

"I don't hate it," came Poe's reply. 

" _Lunar Pull?_ " was Rey's offering. 

Finn laughed. "I think that's as bad as _Starlight_." 

Rey pushed his arm playfully. "Nothing is as bad as _Starlight_." 

"I hate to put a deadline on this, but we are approaching the Spire, and I'd really like to be able to tell them that this ship's name is _anything_ but _Starlight_." Poe piloted the ship carefully through the electrical storm that had kicked up in the middle of their route. The storms in Anthan Prime's atmosphere weren't overly difficult to navigate through, but they were still serious. "And you two should really strap in." 

"I've got it!" Finn exclaimed. "How about _The General's Hope_." 

"Oooh, that IS good!" Rey yelled excitedly. "I wish I had thought of it. Commander?" 

"Alright, it's pretty good. As Commander of this vessel, I hereby rechristen it _The General's Hope_. Now hold on, we're about to dock." 

Poe flew _The General's Hope_ out the other side of the electrical storm and slowed as they entered the calmer atmosphere around the Spire. He sent out a comm requesting access to docking, and he made his way toward a landing pad as soon as he was given the green light and a dock designation. He set the _Hope_ down with barely a rumble and powered down all systems. 

Once everything was secured and registered, they geared up and headed out of the ship. The Spire was a surreal experience. The variety of species seemed almost endless. It was clear that this was a well-traveled hub around this part of the Outer Rim. The only thing that seemed to be missing was any sign of the First Order. Not a stormtrooper in sight, and they hadn't seen any First Order vessels in orbit or around the docking bays. 

_There's no way we'll be so lucky as to avoid them entirely._ Poe had a ball of anxiety forming in his stomach. 

Finn cleared his throat. "So, uh, where do we start?" 

Poe looked back and smiled, the anxiety lessening slightly. Finn was clearly overwhelmed by the sights, smells, and sounds of the mesh of life here. "We find a drinking hole. Or a gambling den. Try to blend in, ask a few questions when the time seems right." 

Finn got a nervous look on his face. "And how do we know when the timing is right? I don't think subtlety is my strong suit." 

Poe chuckled. "Don't worry, I'll do the talking. I know how to communicate with this type of crowd. You two just stick close and keep an eye out. We don't want to be caught off guard by anything." He set off down a corridor, looking for universal signs of alcohol.

As they progressed, a loud cacophony screeching and banging came to them. They headed toward a large observation window that looked down into a huge arena-shaped room. 

"What in the galaxy is that?" Finn had a horrified look on his face as he ran closer to the window. Down below, two monstrous droids were ripping each other apart amidst sparks and fire. Finn looked back at Poe with a sick expression. "This is entertainment for these people?" 

"Unfortunately. It's a droid fighting den. There's a lot of money in it. It's pretty barbaric." Poe shrugged, unsure what else to say. Finn turned back to watch for another moment as Rey got close to Poe. 

In a low tone, she queried, "Is it a bit strange that there's no sign of the First Order here, or is it just me being paranoid?" 

"No, you're not being paranoid," Poe responded. "It is strange, and I don't like it. We ran into them on Delphon, for fuck's sake, but I'm supposed to believe that they have no presence in a place like this? Something seems off." He glanced around, nervously. 

"You don't think they know we're here, do you?" Rey's face tightened with concern. 

"I certainly hope not, and I don't see how they could. Our ship was clean. That was the point of Delphon."

"You don't suppose that..." Rey hesitated, not wanting to say what she was thinking out loud. 

"Why are you two being so secretive over here?" Finn suddenly appeared next to them. 

Poe took in an apprehensive breath. "First of all, because this is a covert mission, which necessitates secrecy." Finn rolled his eyes as Poe continued. "And second, because we think it seems strange that there's no apparent First Order presence here. Which makes me think there are two likely options. The first: the know we're here and tracked us from Delphon." Poe paused to let the implication sit. 

"Wait a second," Finn started. "If you think that--" 

Poe interjected before he could get mad. "No, I'm not suggesting that Two-Three betrayed us. That's why I think the other option is more likely: They are here, and they're on their own secret agenda. Which means First Order agents could be all around us." 

Finn got the picture. "And it means that they'll be a lot harder to avoid, which will make us a lot easier to identify." 

"Precisely my concern." Poe glanced around again. 

"Ohhhh." Rey had a horrified look on her face. "Right now, Finn and I probably have the two most recognized faces in the First Order. Finn's a traitor, and I'm--" 

Poe nodded. "The Last Jedi standing against the sith lord and Supreme Leader, Kylo Ren." 

Finn looked from Poe to Rey, and then back again. "So, now what do we do?"

"Commander Dameron?" There was no hint of sarcasm in Rey's tone now. 

"We have a mission and an obligation. And this is the best lead we have. We can't go back to the Resistance empty-handed. We stay calm, we stay quiet, and we stay inconspicuous. The mission is the same. The stakes, on the other hand, have just gone way up." Poe looked at each of them and nodded, making sure that they both understood. "If we have each other's backs, we'll be fine." 

Poe turned away from the droid den and continued searching for a place to find information. Rey followed while Finn kept an eye on the rear. After about ten minutes of weaving through an endless stream of creatures, humanoid and non-humanoid alike, they finally found a drinking tavern. Poe turned to the others and--

"Where's Finn!?" Panic immediately shot through his voice and rose in his stomach. 

Rey whipped her head around. "Wha-" But Finn wasn't there. "He was just here. He was. I just looked at him a moment ago." 

Poe looked around desperately, searching the faces of everyone nearby, hoping to see a flash of Finn's eyes or his beautiful smile. "Finn! FINN!!" Poe was yelling now, making a scene, but he had never been so afraid in his life. "FINNNNN!!!" 

"Poe!" Rey grabbed his shoulders. "Poe, you have to calm down." 

"But, Rey--" He was inconsolable. 

"I know. Listen to me. He can't be far. He was just here. We'll find him." 

"We have to. Rey, I can't lose him, I just can't." 

Although Poe had no proof, he knew in his gut that Finn was in danger. Mortal danger. An agent of the First Order had found them and taken him. And now he was lost in the underground crime den of the Spire. 

_FINN!_


	13. Chapter 13 -- Resistance -- Finn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn faces his fears.

Darkness

Finn was surrounded by darkness when he came to. His head was throbbing, and when he lifted his hand up to the center of the pain, it came away wet. Whatever had happened, he must have been hit in the head. He shook his head side-to-side, trying to dispel the fog of confusion. They had been moving cautiously through Anthan Spire after discussing the lack of an obvious First Order presence. Poe was in the lead, Rey in the middle, and Finn had brought up the rear. Then, darkness. 

_The First Order!_

Panic and fear immediately gripped him. Is that what was happening? Had the First Order captured him? Were Rey and Poe okay? His heart started to beat rapidly, his breathing grew shallow and quick, and he looked around, trying to discern anything in the darkness. But wherever he was, it was completely pitch black. There was no light at all. 

He reached his hand out and felt forward on the floor about four feet before he ran into a wall. Feeling all around, he realized that he was in a very small cell of some type. He was trapped in the dark with no way out. 

His pulse increased even more as he started to gasp for air. He was having a panic attack, he realized, as tears started to run down his face. He was so deeply afraid. He felt irrevocably lost in this black hole of a prison. Would he die here? Would he be sold back to the First Order and be executed in front of Kylo Ren himself? Would he never see Poe again? 

This last thought was the most horrible to him. His relationship with Poe was just beginning. He had never felt such excitement, such energy, and such love with another person before. Not like this. He had never met anyone like Poe Dameron, and, now, he was terrified that he would be ripped from life without another chance to see him, to look in his eyes, to hug him, or to kiss him. 

Misery and terror consumed him as he curled into a ball and wept angrily into the void. Eventually, exhaustion took over, and he sank into a troubled and tormented sleep. 

* * *

_FN-2187 -- Age 15_

_Darkness. Again._

_FN-2187 huddled in the darkness, trying to keep his imagination from filling that empty void with horrible nightmares. “I’m not afraid, I’m not afraid, I’m not afraid….” This was the mantra he repeated to himself when he was punished like this. If he focused on saying it endlessly, then he wouldn’t be able to focus on the fact that he was afraid._

_He hated the dark. He hated the way his mind started spinning, imagining awful visions to torment him. That’s the reason that he was often punished this way. His Training Matron knew that he would torture himself in the dark, so she wouldn’t have to waste much time doing it herself. Why do a job that will do itself?_

_“STATE YOUR NON-CONFORMITY.”_

_The loud voice of his Training Matron rang throughout the small metal box that he was locked in. It couldn’t have been more than five square feet, and he couldn’t even stand up in it anymore without brushing his head against the top. Last month had seen another growth spurt add inches to his stature. They told him that he was still young, that he would still grow, that he was developing into a fine young man who would make a fine young soldier. That’s all they cared about. How well he would fight and how little it would matter if he died. As long as they got a soldier out of him._

_“STATE YOUR NON-CONFORMITY.”_

_If being alone in a silent dark cube was the worst part, this was a close second. He would be prompted to say what it was that he had done wrong. Only by admitting his transgression would he be released from his punishment. His Training Matron, once started, would not let up until he gave her what she wanted. Conformity. Obedience. Blind loyalty._

_“STATE YOUR NON-CONFORMITY.”_

_This is where he always got stuck. This had gone on for so long, the endlessly repeated process of punishment for non-conformity, and he wanted to just give in and make his life easier. After all, this was all he knew. A life of training and preparing for a war that they all knew was building. He couldn’t remember a life before, a life where he had been safe and loved by parents who were probably dead now. So, why not just give in? Why not just accept his fate? Why not just become the tool that the First Order wanted him to be?_

_“STATE YOUR NON-CONFORMITY.”_

_Despite the desire to give in, there was still a tiny spark of resistance in him. A part of him always wanted to rebel, to make noise, to call out the wrongs of this fucked-up regime. There was a small part of him that wanted to sit in that cube until he starved to death, to finally free himself from chains that bound him. They would either pull him out and punish him a different way, or they would leave him there to die. It was the only way out that he could see. There was no escape._

_“STATE YOUR NON-CONFORMITY.”_

_The Matron was loud, but the command was somehow still calm, unemphatic. Compliance was expected, and the command would be given until he stopped resisting. He felt that tiny spark inside of him, that tiny piece of light, grow just a little bit dimmer._

_“STATE YOUR--”_

_“I became emotional and acted irrationally,” he finally uttered, defeated once again._

_“DESCRIBE YOUR TRANSGRESSION.”_

_“I got angry and started a fight.”_

_“WHAT IS THE CONSEQUENCE OF EMOTION.”_

_“Emotion makes us react illogically.”_

_“CORRECT. WHAT HAPPENS TO ILLOGICAL SOLDIERS.”_

_He hesitated once more. This was always the point that they drove home: how the non-conformity would lead to his untimely death and general uselessness as a soldier. This was the part that they wanted every stormtrooper to believe in their core._

_“FN-2187, WHAT HAPPENS TO ILLOGICAL SOLDIERS.”_

_Sighing, he gave up. “They die.”_

_With a hiss, an opening appeared in the cube, letting in a low light that illuminated him sitting cross-legged on the ground. He raised his head to look straight ahead, the uniform-clad legs of the Matron occupying his view. They were never to look a Matron in the eye. They were always to look straight ahead when in the presence of someone of a higher rank unless instructed otherwise._

_“FN-2187. You will return to your room, and we will hope that tomorrow will be a day of conformity. You are dismissed.”_

_Wordlessly, he crawled from the cube, stood, dusted himself off, and left the room. He walked slowly to his room, encountering only minor personnel and task droids, neither of which acknowledged his existence. Tomorrow he would get up, attend training, diminish his emotions, and aspire to conformity. Tomorrow, he would lose a little bit more of his hope as the spark within him dimmed even more._

* * *

"Wake up, pay-day," a harsh voice ordered. 

Finn opened his eyes, squinting at the light that entered the cell through the now visible doorway. His head still groggy, he glanced around, glad that it had been too dark before to see the suspicious-looking stains on the floor. This was clearly not a place where nice things happened to people. 

"I don't have forever here. Let's go." 

The angry-sounding voice belonged to a wiry androgynous form, clothed entirely in dark grey with a shiny black helmet obscuring their face. Strapped to their left leg was a very large and very well-used knife; on their right hip was a holstered gun of some type, probably energy. 

"What... You're not First Order," was all Finn could say, unable to hide his surprise. Lost in the darkness of the cell, his worst fears had taken over, and he had been sure that he was a slave once again. Now in the stark light filtering into the room outside his cell, it seemed that he had been captured by a bounty hunter. A solitary bounty hunter. 

"Of course I'm not First Order, you treasonous idiot. But every bounty hunter in the galaxy has seen the face of the traitor FN-2187. I wasn't sure it was you at first, but then I saw that blasted pilot Poe Dameron leading the way. I only need one of you to receive a very sizeable reward from the First Order." They shrugged. "You were at the back. Easiest to grab." 

Finn's mind flashed briefly to his memory of being locked in the cube as a teenager. He had felt so powerless and without hope. But he wasn't that scared teenager anymore. He had passed the point of hopeless submission on Crait, and he sure as hell wasn't going to let one bounty hunter take him back to that place. 

"Alright, enough talk. Get the fuck up. We're leaving." The bounty hunter unholstered their weapon and pointed it at him. 

Finn moved slowly, as if he were weak, and brought himself up to lean against the doorway of the cell. The hunter was a good ten feet from him still. 

"Hey, traitor, I haven't got all cycle. I thought they trained you idiots to listen." 

Finn started forward, stumbled, and went down to his knees. 

"By the gods, let's GO!" The hunter stepped forward and leaned down to grab Finn's arm with their left hand. 

_No more giving up. No more conformity._

Finn sprang up, using his left hand to grab the gun and yanking it back forcefully out of the hunter's hands. They yelped in surprise as he found his footing and shoved them back against the wall. With his right hand, he pulled the knife from its sheath and deftly brought the jagged blade up to the hunter's throat. 

"I'm not going anywhere with you," he growled, "and I'm most certainly never going back to the First Order. You fucked with the wrong traitor." 

The hunter was silent. Finn yanked their arm down and behind them, spun the hunter around, and, with a powerful shove, sent them flying into the cell. He took one last look at the hunter sprawled on the floor. 

"They trained us to listen, but they also trained us to fight." He slammed the button to close the cell, tossed the knife to the side, and retrieved the firearm from the floor. He gave it a once over. Standard one-handed energy blaster. He flipped the safety back on and slid it down through his belt, caught his breath, and walked out of the room without looking back. 


	14. Chapter 14 -- Resistance -- Poe

“You’re acting like an idiot.” Rey grabbed Poe’s arm before he could run off again. 

“Finn is a prisoner out there!” Poe was emphatically waving his arms. “They could kill him! They could have taken him off-world! They could--”

“Okay! Okay, I get it. I know. I’m worried too.” Rey composed herself. “But we need to be calm and rational. We _will_ get him back, Poe.”

“I’ve let him down again. How can I keep failing him?” He slumped to the ground. 

They were in a side-alley back near the droid fighting den, the sounds of tearing metal filling the background. The alley itself was mostly empty and fairly quiet, despite the bustling crowd out on the main street. A shady looking pair at the other end kept shooting them furtive glances, clearly worried that Rey and Poe were going to interrupt their business dealings. 

They had been searching for hours since they had realized that Finn was missing. Poe had stopped in just about every seedy looking establishment he could find and tried to chat people up about the First Order. Either no one here knew anything about them, or they weren’t talking. They had basically gotten nowhere. 

Rey slid down next to him, her back to the wall. “Come now, sit up and tell me what that’s supposed to mean.” 

Poe pulled himself over to sit against the wall next to her. “On Crait. I gave the order to retreat when we made the run on that battering-ram cannon, but he didn’t stop. He kept going, and I didn’t even realize. If it hadn’t been for Rose, he would have flown his skimmer right into that thing and died. And where was I? Halfway back to the base. Oblivious that the man I… that the man I cared about almost died. And now here we are again. I promised myself I wouldn’t let this happen again.”

“Poe. I told you before. Finn can make his own choices. And I know you care about him, but we can’t protect him from everything.” Rey put a hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. 

“I don’t know how to do this, Rey. I’ll fly my X-Wing into any danger at any time, but I don’t know how to do _this!_ ” 

Rey gave him a quizzical look. “You lost me somewhere in that. What can’t you do? I mean, you are Commander Poe Dameron, best damn pilot in the Resistance. I thought you could do anything.” 

Poe inhaled deeply and sighed it out. Was he really about to pour his heart out here and now? “I don’t know how to care this much about someone. I think…. Rey, I think I love him.” 

Rey gave him a sweet smile. “Well, obviously.” 

Poe lifted his head to look at her. “What?!” 

“Oh come on, Poe. Anyone who pays attention to you when he’s around would know.”

Poe could feel his neck and ears getting hot. “Damn. Didn’t know I was that obvious about it.” 

Rey rolled her eyes. “Well if that’s what you call subtlety…” She gave him a playful smack on the arm. “There’s nothing wrong with it. I happen to find it adorable. Finn is a good man, and he deserves someone who cares about it. He deserves an equally good man, like you, Poe Dameron.” 

Now it was Poe’s turn to roll his eyes. “I’m not that great. Not as good as Finn.” 

“Well, he is pretty great.” Rey smiled. “Listen. I don’t know much about love, but I do know a few things about being an independent person. Finn is his own person, and you are your own, and that’s how it should be. I get that it’s scary to think that something might happen to him, but we’re in a war, and he’ll make his own choices.” 

“Soooo, what, then?”

“So love him the best that you can while you have him. But you can’t protect him from everything.” 

Poe nodded. “You’re right. Anyone ever tell you that you’re pretty smart?” 

She laughed. “I know a cantankerous old jedi who would severely disagree with you on that score.” She rose to her feet, turned, and extended her hand to him. “So then, don’t we have a Finn to find?” 

Poe grasped her hand and pulled himself up. “Thank you, Rey.” 

A loud voice interrupted them. “I hate to break up this beautiful moment, but I’m gonna need you to come with me.” 

Poe spun around to see that the shady pair at the other end of the alley were now standing right by them, and they both had very nasty looking guns pointed at them. One, the loud talker, was of a race that Poe had never encountered before. He was humanoid, very tall, and had rough grey skin, almost like tree bark. The other was a smaller male human, well-muscled with an olive complexion. 

Poe chuckled. “I’m sorry, who are you two supposed to be? And where exactly do you think I’m going with you?” His mind was spinning through escape routes, but they weren’t in a great position. The alley wasn’t that wide, and if they tried to run they would be easy targets. Besides that, it would be difficult to get close with those rifles in the way. 

“You can call me Scorn. And this is Turk. You’re going to come with us to the nearest First Order outpost because there’s a rather large bounty on both of you.” 

Poe looked at Rey. “Great, bounty hunters. Can you believe these two? Scorn and Turk? What kind of names are those?” 

Scorn was clearly a bit sensitive, as he let out a deafening roar. People walking by the alley glanced down to see what was happening before hurrying off. Nobody wanted to get involved in this. 

“Whoa, whoa, there, big guy. Don’t get upset,” Poe wasn’t sure the cocky-pilot schtick had been the best choice, but he was too far in to back out now. 

“Maybe we could work something out!” Rey suggested. “We have access to plenty of money. You don’t really want to mess with the First Order, do you?” 

Poe rethought the idea that Turk was human as he stepped forward with glowing eyes and ordered in a high-pitched voice, “Put your hands up. We’re not making any deals.” 

Scorn jumped forward, grabbed Poe’s shoulder, and shoved him to the ground. Things weren’t looking so great until he noticed something happening up on the wall above them. To his utter shock and surprise, Finn clambered up on top of the wall silently. 

“Okay, okay! We’ll come quietly!” He started talking to keep Scorn and Turk distracted. “I mean, I don’t really like it here anyway. It smells funny. And besides,--” 

Finn jumped from the top of the wall, his right arm outstretched with a blaster in his hand. He fired three quick pulses, green bolts of energy, that slammed into the back of Scorn’s head knocking him to the ground. He continued falling, feet forward, straight into Turk’s back, and they both tumbled down. Finn grabbed Turk’s dark hair, lifted up the bounty hunter’s head, and slammed it down against the pavement, effectively knocking him out. He stood, kicked Turk’s rifle away from his unconscious body, and slid the blaster down into his belt. 

“You two looked like you needed some help.” 

Poe ran the few short steps and threw himself onto Finn, wrapping his arms tightly around the other man, relief and admiration flooding his system. “I was so worried about you, and you end up saving us, not the other way around.” He pulled back momentarily, and then leaned in and kissed Finn, hard and wet, before stepping back as Rey ran up, Scorn’s rifle in her hands. 

“Finn! That was amazing!” An exhilarated smile lit up both of their faces. 

Poe glanced back at Scorn lying on the ground, the back of his head smoking slightly. “Is he dead?” 

“Nahh, just stunned. I think I figured out why the First Order doesn’t seem to be here.” 

Poe nodded. “Yeah, apparently they just put huge bounties on our head for the places they didn’t feel like stationing troops on. Why put in the work when you could just pay off a bounty hunter?” 

“Clearly. One recognized me and smacked me over the head earlier. I left them in the cell they had me locked in.” 

Poe whistled. “You are incredibly sexy right now, you know that.” 

Finn rubbed the back of his head, a sheepish look on his face. “Wellll…” 

Rey held up the rifle. “What do we do with this? And them?” 

Finn took the weapon from her, looked it over, and dismantled it quickly, tossing the power cell over the top of the wall. “Get me the other one. We should tie these two up.” 

“I’ll do it.” Poe grabbed Turk’s arm and dragged him over to Scorn. He started tying their limbs together before adding, “And then we really need to find the Shipwright. The sooner we got off this godsforsaken Spire the better.” They both nodded in agreement. Rey handed the other rifle to Finn, who dismantled it as quickly as the first one. 

She watched, impressed. “Where did you learn to do that?” 

“First Order. I grew up in a training facility. Every day of our lives was how to conform, how to be a soldier, on and on and on. When I was bored, I would study weapon manuals. Most of them operate in the same basic way, so it’s not hard to take them apart.”

Poe finished his task, and stood, brushing the dust off his knees. “Now then, I believe we have a mission to get to.”

* * *

The trio moved cautiously through the city, checking in with each other every few minutes to make sure no one was missing. They made their way back to the tavern they had been headed to before without incident. Finn and Rey kept an eye on the room from a back corner while Poe started buying drinks and talking people up, fishing for information about the Shipwright. It wasn't long before he found someone who worked for him and negotiation began. 

Poe wrote an amount on a small shred of paper and slid it across the bar to the messenger. "This is how much I'm willing to pay the Shipwright for an audience. If we can forge an arrangement on sale of goods, there's plenty where this came from." 

The messenger, a somewhat short Twi'lek with a gentle grey hue to his skin, widened his eyes in shock as he took in the offer. "Give me an hour. I'll bring your generous offer to the Shipwright and return with his answer." The messenger dropped from the stool he sat on and weaved his way through the crowd, head tails swaying behind him.

Poe tossed money onto the bar to cover his drinks and went and sat with Finn and Rey. "Well, he works for the Shipwright. He's taking our offer to him. Let's order some food and eat while we wait." 

It had only been forty-five minutes when the Twi'lek returned. Bowing slightly, he said, "The Shipwright will meet with you first thing tomorrow morning. Take a room at the Spireside hotel. I will retrieve you tomorrow." The messenger sped off without another word. 

Poe looked at the other two. "Well, I guess we're staying the night. I'm not wild about it, but it is what it is, I guess." 

Rey stood. "You two go on ahead. I'm going to see if I can find the parts to fix my saber." She gave Poe a wink, patted Finn on the shoulder, and disappeared into the crowd. 

"Sooo, now what?" Finn looked to Poe for their next course of action. 

"I don't know about you, but I'm worn out. Shall we head to the hotel?" 

Finn had an apprehensive look on his face, but nodded in the affirmative. "Might as well. It would be good to relax properly." 

"You mean, relax without bounty hunters breathing down our necks, right?" Poe gave him a sideways glance.

Finn laughed. "Exactly. I'm tired of beating people up today." 

Poe nodded. After a beat of silence in which they just looked at each other, unsure of what to say next, Poe stood. "Let's head out." Finn rose to follow him as they made their way to the hotel. 

* * *

They found the hotel easily enough. Poe briefly thought about getting a separate room for Rey but didn't want to send the wrong message to her or Finn. Most of all, he didn't want Finn to feel rushed into things he wasn't ready for. Best to err on the side of caution, for now, so he got a room with 3 single berths. 

Poe left a message for Rey indicating what room they were in and turned to go. The clerk, a Sullustan dressed in shimmering gold robes, stopped him. "Sir, if you are interested, the view from the roof at sunset is quite stunning. Just a suggestion for you and your... friend." 

_By the stars, even random people can tell there's something between us._ Poe smiled and nodded and led Finn up to the room. It was a simple space, sparsely furnished with beds built into the wall. A window looked out over the city, and Poe could see the docking port they had left _The General's Hope_ at in the distance. 

"Do you mind if I clean up a bit?" Finn asked. "I've got dust all over me from that cell I was in." 

"Of course not," was Poe's reply. "I think I'll head up to the roof. The clerks said it's got a good sunset view. Meet me up there after?" 

Finn nodded and went to the small bathroom to wash his face. Poe found his way to a staircase with a sign that indicated roof access and wandered on up. The roof had a low metal fence around its perimeter as well as a few uninhabited tables and chairs at its center. Nobody else seemed to be up here. Poe could see the sun beginning its decline toward the horizon, so he sat on the rooftop with his legs poking through the fence and watched.

As he sat and watched the sky change colors around the fiery orb, his mind drifted to thoughts of Finn. He remembered what Rey had said in the alley, that he couldn't protect Finn from everything. The problem was that he didn't know how to let go of that fear. Poe had avoided a lot of his problems by jumping in an X-Wing and zipping off into the sky, but this was one problem that couldn't be avoided, not if he was serious about his feelings for Finn. 

He heard the door open behind him, but he didn't turn to look until Finn sat down to his left. Neither of them said anything. Finn reached over and took Poe's hand, twining their fingers together as they watched the sunset. It was almost touching the horizon now, and the sky was alive with deep blues and purples as the light from the star twisted its way through the atmosphere. Steadily, the horizon consumed the sun until the tiniest beams of light peeked over the edge, but these, too, were pulled under. 

Finn was the first to speak. "I really like spending time with you, Poe." 

Poe turned away from the beauty of the sunset, the heartbreaking serendipity of its display, and looked at Finn. His voice was thick with emotion as he said, "I don't think that I thanked you properly for rescuing us earlier. Thank you, Finn." 

"Don't mention it. You'd do the same for me." Finn looked away, embarrassed. 

"You're right. I would. I was scared today, Finn." Poe's voice shook as he admitted this truth. 

Finn turned back and looked into his eyes. "What? I didn't think you got scared." 

"Everyone gets scared, Finn. Some of us are just better at pretending that we aren't. But I was terrified today because I thought I had lost you. I... care a lot about you, Finn. More than I should say just now. I don't want to lose you, not ever, but I understand that you will make your own decisions regarding your safety, especially when the galaxy is at stake." Poe stopped, worried that he was rambling on too much. 

"I understand, Poe. I worry about you too. But you're right, we have a big responsibility resting on our shoulders with the galaxy being in so much danger right now." 

"Finn, can I ask you something?" Poe hesitated until Finn nodded. "Were you going to let yourself die on Crait?" 

Finn looked away again, staring out at the fading glow on the horizon. "Yes. I hate to say it out loud, but yes. I thought that the only way to stop them was to sacrifice myself." 

"But--" Poe started, but Finn cut him off.

"I have no intention of doing something like that again. Rose helped me understand that we can't just throw our lives at the First Order and expect that to make a difference. We have to fight for the things that we care about, instead of focusing on the things that we hate." He was silent for a beat, before continuing. "I know that there will be more dangerous situations ahead, and I have no intention of shying away from them, but I won't carelessly throw my life away." 

Poe nodded. "I can agree with that." As Finn continued to look out at the sky, Poe took in his profile, once again trying to remember every detail. He cleared his throat, and said, "You know, I could watch a hundred thousand sunsets, but none of them would be as beautiful as you." 

Finn turned back to him and they looked into each other's eyes. Finn leaned forward and Poe leaned to meet him. Poe felt like the brilliantly colored sky that he had just watched. Finn was the light of the setting sun, twisting its way through him, as their lips moved together, pressing hungrily into each other. Just as the horizon had accepted the sun into its depths, both men accepted the other within themselves, melding effortlessly together. Their kiss was as unrelenting and undeniable as the setting of the sun, a celestial force that could not be so easily stopped from happening. Time passed, and darkness took over, as Poe and Finn fell endlessly into each other, forging and strengthening a love as beautiful as the sky, as timeless as a sunset, and as eternal as the revolution of a planet around a star. 


	15. Chapter 15 -- The Unintended Cost -- Finn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trio make a deal with the Shipwright

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things I never thought I would be researching: Whether or not coffee exists in the Star Wars Universe. It does! It's called caf, and you can learn more about it here https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Caf
> 
> P.S. Wookieepedia is a lifesaver.
> 
> P.P.S. I often keep some FinnPoe fanart up on my screen while I write as a sort of muse. The art of Sheep_In_Clouds.tumbr is some of my most favorite. 
> 
> https://sheep-in-clouds.tumblr.com/post/169183735282/lets-start-a-year-with-some-space-boyfrieds-art

Finn woke gradually, for a change. He didn't open his eyes right away; instead, he laid there and thought about the previous night. The sun setting, and Poe's hand in his. The glow fading from the horizon while their passion connected them through warm lips and sweet tastes of one another. He had felt such hope in his heart, more than he had ever felt before. He didn't have the right words to describe the feelings that ran through him. This was all new territory. 

He opened his eyes, sat up, stretched, and looked around the room. Bright golden sunlight shone in through the window, illuminating Rey who sat meditating silently in the corner; Poe was nowhere to be found. Finn showered and dressed, ready for whatever the day would bring him. He came out of the bathroom and found Rey sitting with Poe at the small table in the room, both of them chatting away about something.

Poe looked over, laughing at something Rey had said, and Finn thought his heart would burst from his chest. He felt his mouth break into a broad smile at the sight of the two most important people in his life sharing a moment. "Hey, you two." 

Rey smiled at him. "Hey yourself. Poe brought breakfast." 

"And a cup of caf. I wasn't sure if you drank it or not," Poe added. 

"I do, thank you." Finn sat and joined them. For just a little while that morning, it was as if they were three ordinary people hanging out and enjoying breakfast together. No galaxy that needed saving. No First Order. No Kylo Ren or anyone else who wanted to hurt them. 

The moment, unfortunately, could not go on forever. A knock at the door interrupted their conversation. They all went silent as Poe cautiously went to the door and looked through the small viewing hole set in the middle. His shoulders relaxed as he looked back at the other two and nodded, then he opened the door to the Twi'lek from the day before. 

Bowing as he entered the room, he said, "It is good to see you again, and doing well it seems. I will take you to see the Shipwright now." They gathered their things together before setting off back into the crowded streets underneath the Spire with the messenger. 

Poe walked up beside the Twi'lek and asked, "So, uh, anything we should know about your boss before we get there?"

"The Shipwright is a reasonable man and one who values currency and discretion. I believe he has a valuable proposition for you," came the messenger's reply. 

"How could he have a proposition if he doesn't know what I want yet?" Poe was suspicious. 

"He will explain," The Twi'lek said without stopping. "Do not fear. You are safe with him. Come along. The streets are not so safe." 

Poe cast a questioning glance back at Rey and Finn. Rey nodded as Finn shrugged his shoulders, and Poe, seemingly satisfied, turned to look forward again. A slight current of worry ran through him, but he knew that they could manage whatever came their way. 

"Sooooo," Rey began, "you and Poe were out well past dark last night." 

Finn didn't say anything but couldn't help from smiling as he remembered their time together. He glanced over to see her looking at him curiously. 

"Well, come on, you have to tell me something. What's going on with you two?" 

Finn laughed. "I don't know what to say. I've never felt like this before." 

"Okay. And?" 

"And what?" 

"Goodness Finn, give me some details here. What are you feeling? What have you two done? Talk to me." 

Finn grinned sheepishly. "A lot of kissing. I'm not quite sure how to describe it. It's like this very intense feeling of hope when we're together. When he looks at me, it's like I'm the most important thing he's ever seen. It feels nice. I really like him, Rey." 

Rey grinned at him. "You two are adorable. But if he hurts you I'll have to kill him." 

Finn gave her a playful elbow. "Well, then I'm in capable hands either way." 

"Uh, you two want to keep up?" Poe called back. 

"Your boyfriend is yelling at us," Rey whispered. 

"I don't know if I'm allowed to call him that yet, but we better catch up," Finn whispered back, smiling like an idiot all the rest of the way. 

* * *

After another fifteen minutes of weaving through the crowded streets, they were finally led to a guarded gate set in a wall, behind which was a large residence set apart from the rest of the buildings. Two humanoids in matte gray full-body armor silently opened the gates to allow them entry. The residence was different from the rest of the city. The walls were constructed of a white stone that shone brightly amidst the scuffed and dirty metal buildings around the house. The courtyard leading up the front door was bursting with vibrant plants of all colors, a brilliant display of life and wealth. 

Poe cleared his throat. “It’s interesting that the Shipwright has this much money, yet chooses to live beneath the Spire, not on top of it.” 

As was uniform by this point, the messenger spoke without stopping or even looking at them. “The Shipwright was born and raised beneath the Spire. These are his people. He wishes to remain with them.” 

“Huh.” Poe seemed unimpressed. 

They were brought into a formal sitting room, comfortable-looking chairs surrounded an ovular table made of a beautiful red stone. The chairs were dark grey and covered in a soft fabric. A valuable looking silver tray sat on the table with glasses and a pitcher of water. 

“Please, sit. The Shipwright will be with you shortly.” The messenger left the room. 

Finn was the first to speak. “What do you guys think?” 

“I think there are easier ways to kill us than this, so I’m hoping that’s not the plan,” Poe said. 

Rey chimed in with, “I think if they wanted that, they could have just murdered us in the streets. Judging by the reactions to the alley yesterday, nobody would have minded much.” 

Finn rolled his eyes. “You two are killing me here.” 

Poe let out a sigh. “I dunno, honestly. This guy is clearly extravagantly wealthy. It worries me that the messenger made it seem like he doesn’t want money.” 

“Well, what else do we have to offer a man with this much money?” 

Poe poured himself a glass of water. “That’s the part that worries me.” 

They didn’t have to wait long. Within moments, the messenger returned leading another Twi’lek into the room. This new Twi’lek had skin much the same color as the messenger, a greyish-blue hue that was complemented by formal robes in a deep burnt orange. Poe started to stand, but the Twi’lek raised a hand. 

“Please, stay seated.” The two took a seat at the table. He indicated the messenger as he said, “You’ve already met my son, Antuuj.” Antuuj bowed his head slightly at them. 

“Huh, son. And what should we call you?” Poe was laying it on a bit thick with the attitude. 

“You may refer to me as the Shipwright. That will do.” If the Shipwright noticed Poe’s rudeness, he didn’t acknowledge it, and instead maintained his formal air while taking them in.

Poe looked to Rey, then Finn, then back to the Shipwright. “So, let’s get to it. You already know who we are.” It wasn’t a question, which indicated to Finn why Poe wasn’t playing very nice; he was trying to keep whatever advantage they still had against someone who was prepared for them. He was glad Poe was doing the talking as this type of social situation was a bit beyond his abilities. 

The Shipwright laughed, a strangely layered sound, as his head tails swung back and forth behind him. “I do indeed know who you are, Poe Dameron. And you must be Rey, the mysterious Jedi. And Finn, the traitor.” He looked at each of them as he named them, but Finn’s overall sense was that he wasn’t hostile. At least, not yet. 

“Excuse me, but how _do_ you know who we are?” Rey spoke up. 

“As you are no doubt aware, the First Order is very upset with the three of you. They’ve had bounties on Mr. Dameron’s head for months, but recently two new faces came to every bounty hunter in the Spire: Yours and Finn’s. You see, in addition to gambling, droid fighting, and the like, we have quite a thriving bounty hunter community here. The First Order was smart enough to know that the easiest way to keep the Resistance in check on the Spire was to take advantage of this very available freelance force. Identifying the mysterious trio seeking my audience that Antuuj met with yesterday was really quite simple." 

Poe jumped in. "So if you know who we are, and you clearly haven't sold us out to the First Order, does that mean you're open to a transaction?" 

The Shipwright looked to his son briefly before returning his attention to Poe with a nod. "If you come here seeking me, I can only assume that you need ships. I am prepared to offer you a number of freighters, transports, and fighters, but there is the condition of payment." 

"The General has vast resources," Rey stated, "we can certainly come to an agreement." 

"My price is not monetary, I'm afraid, although I'm sure Leia Organa can fund her rebellion in multiple ways. I will need you three to do something for me instead." The Twi'lek grew quite serious at this point, clearly troubled by something. "Before I ask this of you, I want to assure you that, no matter your answer, no harm will come to you by my hand or word." 

Poe looked to Finn and Rey, both of whom nodded. He looked back to the Shipwright. "We will hear your price." 

He spoke with a genuine gratitude as he began. "Thank you for agreeing to listen. I am no friend of the First Order, but my reputation, as you know, extends far beyond the atmosphere of Anthan Prime. When they first came here in full display, they commissioned me to build ships for them. I politely declined this offer, as I had no interest in making deals with fascists. I remember the Empire all too well, and this new Order seemed a barely concealed cult following of the old regime. Unfortunately, they were not interested in giving me a choice. They took, as hostages, my two youngest children. They promised me that they would be perfectly safe, so long as I made ships for them and no one else." He paused, a look of deeply-felt sorrow taking over his face. 

"I have been building ships for them ever since. A few months ago, I began building other ships secretly in a separate location they don't seem to know of. These are the ships that I'm willing to give you. I started to float my name further out into the galaxy, hoping to attract the attention of the Resistance thinking that, sooner or later, they might come looking for ships of their own. And here you are." 

Poe let out a low whistle. "You want us to rescue your kids." 

The Shipwright nodded. "I do. I also took advantage of the plentiful bounty hunters beneath the Spire, and I've been paying scouts to search for my children. There are a number of moons orbiting Anthan Prime. Anthan 14 has an old Empire outpost. My children are there. The detachment manning the outpost is fairly light. Roughly two dozen troopers under one general. They keep tabs on the area, my ship-building ports in this system, and my children. So yes, I want you to rescue them." 

Poe had one final question. "Why the Resistance? Why not send your own men? Or hire a bounty hunter?" 

His reply was simple. "Because you are properly motivated, and you won't choose a higher sum over the life of my children." 

Clearly finished, he sat back in his chair. Nobody spoke for a moment as they all considered what lay before them. The Shipwright stood, motioning for his son to join him. "I will leave you an hour to deliberate amongst yourselves. My staff will bring you food shortly." Both of the Twi'lek bowed slightly, turned, and left the room, closing the door behind them. 

Nobody said anything until Poe broke the silence. “Let’s just each take five minutes to think about the situation, then we will decide together.” He reached over for the pitcher and refilled his glass of water, then poured a glass for Finn and Rey as well. Rey closed her eyes while she thought it over. Finn didn’t have to think. 

He knew how the First Order treated children. He had witnessed first-hand how the regime punished emotion and neglected the safety of the children in its care. There was no world in which he wasn't going to vote that they take the mission. He wouldn't stand idly by while the Shipwright's children were kept from him as leverage. 

There was a knock at the door, and before anyone could answer, two service droids rushed in the room. Both were humanoid, one blue and one orange, and they both carried a large silver platter. The orange droid nodded its head, uttered, "Masters," and proceeded to place its offerings on the table. The blue droid repeated this behavior, and then they both rushed out as quickly as they had entered. On the table, they had left an array of breads, meats, cheeses, and condiments to make sandwiches with.

Poe shrugged and started putting something together. After they had all prepared their food and started to eat, a light banter rose up between them. Finn was reminded of that morning in the hotel, and his heart grew warm. Poe finished up first, wiped off his mouth, took a long drink, and cleared his throat. 

"All right, all in favor of accepting this deal, rescuing the children, and securing the offered ships, raise your right hand." Poe raised his own as he said this, and Finn and Rey did not hesitate to add theirs. "Okay then, that's decided." 

Finn spoke up. "We need some better weapons. And obviously any intel the Shipwright has on this base." 

Poe nodded. "I agree. And speaking of weapons, any luck finding those parts you needed, Rey? Sure would be nice to have your saber for this fight." 

"Almost. The only thing I couldn't find yesterday is a new vortex ring to contain the blade's energy. I'm lucky the crystal survived the split, but I'll need that ring for it to work properly." 

"Maybe the Shipwright can help us with that," Finn suggested. "He obviously has plenty of connections." 

"Good idea." Poe looked pensive for a moment before continuing. "Ok, here's what I'm thinking. We need to start by cutting off any communications, then..." He began laying out a plan, pausing for input from Finn or Rey. It wasn't long before the Shipwright returned with Antuuj in tow. 

"I'm feeling optimistic," he said as he entered the room. 

Poe looked at the others before standing and nodding at the Shipwright. "We accept your offer. We'll rescue your kids from the base in exchange for the ships you've promised us. In addition, we need weapons: a blaster for each of us, a high powered sniper rifle, two short-range semi-automatic rifles, localized explosives, smoke grenades, and frag grenades. Any schematics you've got on this base. And Rey needs a vortex ring to fix her lightsaber." Antuuj immediately began writing down their list of demands, bowing out of the room as soon as Poe was done. 

The Shipwright clapped his hands together, a genuine smile breaking out on his face for the first time. "Excellent. Antuuj will acquire your weapons and supplies. If everything is provided, when will you leave?" 

"We'll leave tomorrow morning. We'll spend the daylight hours scoping out the base and our position. At nightfall tomorrow, we'll enact our plan." 

"Wonderful. I'll have three rooms prepared for you. You can stay here tonight." 

Poe walked over and held out his hand. "Agreed. Then we have a deal." 

The Shipwright extended his own hand and firmly shook Poe's. "We have a deal." 

* * *

They spent the rest of the afternoon sketching out their plan, calculating travel times, ideal landing sites, and more. As they wrapped up, the Shipwright joined them as another meal was provided. This one was much more extravagant, including roasted meats, mashed tubers, vegetables of all types, gravies, and more. Finn wasn't sure he had ever seen so much food in one place before. Afterward, one of the droids showed Finn and Rey up to their rooms while Poe stayed behind to cover some logistical questions with the Shipwright. 

Finn was overwhelmed by the room that he was provided. It was larger by itself than any bedroom he had been in before, bigger even than the hotel room from the previous night. The furniture was all wood and stone, beautifully crafted and finished. He felt incredibly out of place. 

He hung his jacket on the stand near the door and opened the top drawer in the dresser. They had been told they could find clothing there if needed. He changed into a tight cream-colored shirt with short sleeves that cut across his biceps and a pair of thick grey pants that were soft to the touch and very comfortable to wear. He was in the bathroom washing his face when he heard a knock at the door.

Outside he found Rey, who had also cleaned up and changed. He invited her in and they sat on the bed chattering away about this and that. After a while, they fell silent. Finn looked up at Rey as she stared off at nothing, seeing something beyond what was in the room. 

"Hey. Are you doing ok?" Finn asked, concerned. He knew that Rey was strong, but he also had a feeling that she was good at hiding her own doubts and fears. 

She was silent for a moment before she turned to him. "When I was with Master Luke, somehow Snoke used the force to connect me with Ben Solo. I would be doing ordinary things, and then I would see him standing there, but he wasn't really there. Or I would smell or hear things that didn't belong. The scent of engine oil when there was only the sea. The tone of an elevator arriving when I was alone with the wind." 

Finn was taken aback at this revelation. "When you say Ben, you mean--" 

"Yes, Kylo Ren. I saw things, Finn. Parts of his past. The fear that drove him away from Master Luke and twisted into hatred at the hands of Snoke. He wasn't always bad, but he let the darkness grow in him, and he's done horrible things." Silent tears ran down her face as she looked at Finn. "He hurt you. I thought you were going to die in that forest on Starkiller Base, with your back torn open by his saber. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you better." 

"Heyy, hey, it's okay, Rey." He wrapped her tight in his arms as she cried, thinking back to that night. He had wielded the lightsaber to protect Rey from Kylo Ren as the snow fell thick and heavy around them. The rest was a blur of heat and flashing lights and the smell of scorched flesh. And then, pain beyond the level of imagination before darkness took him. "You saved me that night, Rey. You saved both of us." After a little while, she sat back and wiped her face dry. 

She smiled weakly. "Thank you, Finn. For protecting me that night. And thank you for saving us yesterday." 

He smiled at her. "Hey, that's what family does, right?" 

There was another knock at the door, and when Finn opened it, a tired-looking Poe stood before him. 

Finn's heart fluttered, and he felt heat in his neck and face. "Hey, you." 

Poe smiled, his cheeks reddening slightly. "Hey." His eyes shifted to notice Rey behind them. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt. I can--" 

Rey hopped up. "No, no, you're not interrupting. Finn was just cheering me up a bit. I should run along to see about putting my saber back together." She hugged Finn and gave him a peck on the cheek, giving Poe's shoulder a squeeze as she slipped past him. "Perhaps I'll see if Antuuj is back with my vortex ring. Goodnight, you two." She padded off down the hall, disappearing down a flight of stairs. 

Finn grabbed Poe's hand, pulling him forward. "Come on in." Poe entered the room, shutting the door behind him. 

Poe walked forward into the room, looking around. "Wow. This guy is seriously rich." 

Finn chuckled. "I know. It's a lot. Speaking of our host, what do you think about him?" 

Poe walked over to the window and looked out at the lights of the underside of the Spire. "He seems genuine. A decent guy who grew up in crime. It's what he knows, but he does it with integrity. Tries not to bring unnecessary harm. I think he cares deeply about his kids and wouldn't be working with the First Order otherwise, which is heartening. It's becoming harder to find people willing to stand against them." 

Finn walked up behind Poe and pressed against him, wrapping his arms forward under Poe's and hugging him tightly, his chin resting on Poe's shoulder. Poe put his arms over Finn's and grasped them tightly. They stood like that for several minutes as they looked out over the city. Finn could feel the muscle of Poe's back expanding with breath against his chest. He closed his eyes, breathed in the spicy-sweet scent, and murmured, "I could get used to this." 

Poe pulled away enough to turn around, placing his left hand on Finn's chest and bringing his right up to caress the lines of the other man's face. He slid his hand around the back of Finn's head and gently pulled it toward his own as he leaned forward. This time, their kissing was certain, but not urgent or frenzied. It had gained a natural quality, as the way a sun would heat the planet before it. Slowly, surely, and certain. They took their time with each other, moving their lips together, slipping and sliding, grasping with pressure and passion. Finn felt Poe run his tongue along Finn's lower lip as he sucked on it lightly, prompting a moan of surprise and pleasure. 

Finn wasn't sure how much time had passed before Poe pulled back and looked at him, searching his eyes. Finn leaned forward and kissed Poe's forehead firmly.

Poe cleared his throat. "Well, I just wanted to say goodnight, so I'll see you tomorrow morning." 

"Okay. Goodnight, Poe." 

Poe leaned in and kissed Finn softly on the lips, and then firmly on his cheek, before turning to go. "Goodnight, Finn."

A stroke of panic rose up in Finn's stomach. "Uhh, Poe, I..."

Poe turned back to look at him. "What is it?" 

Finn looked down, unsure if he should ask for what he wanted. "It's just, sleeping in strange places can really disorient me if I wake up from a nightmare or something. Do you think that... Maybe you could stay with me tonight?"

Poe's face broke into a broad grin. "Of course. I'd love to. Let me go change, and I'll be right back." 

Finn grinned stupidly as he went to the bed and climbed in, getting himself settled. Poe was back within five minutes, locking the door behind him after he entered. He flicked off the lights before coming over and climbing into the other side of the bed. 

Finn was lying flat on his back. Poe snuggled up beside him, kissing Finn's cheek before resting his head on Finn's chest. Finn placed his arm around Poe, holding him tightly. He leaned forward and kissed the top of Poe's head. 

"Goodnight, Poe Dameron. I'm so happy I found you." 

"Not as happy as I am. Goodnight, Finn." 

Within moments, they were fast asleep, each content in the embrace of the man beside them. 


	16. Chapter 16 -- The Unintended Cost -- Poe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Poe and Finn are drawn ever closer, the trio head for danger.

Finn's chest rose and fell with the gentle breath of his sleep, pectoral and abdominal muscles expanding with each inhale. His face was calm and unguarded; an innocence and carefree quality that was hard to find during waking hours relaxed his features. His forehead was smooth, free of worry and concern. His full lips were parted slightly as he breathed, steady and slow. 

Poe lay on his side next to him, watching as he slept. His mind was blank as he stared at what must be the most beautiful man in the entire galaxy. He couldn't fathom how he had been so lucky to find his fate intertwined with Finn's. He wanted to lie in that warm and comfortable bed with Finn for the rest of his life. 

It was early. Anthan Prime had once again revolved toward its sun, and golden rays slowly spread over the edge of the Spire, pouring across the floor of their room. Today, they would travel to Anthan 14 to carry out their rescue mission, but, right now, Poe wanted to only focus on what was right in front of him. 

Finn groaned, eyes still closed, and mumbled, "Is it time to get up?" 

"Not quite," Poe murmured quietly beside his ear. "Keep sleeping." He kissed Finn's cheek, feeling a flush of heat at the contact. He softly placed his hand on top of Finn's chest and felt the other man breathe, his steady heart beating beneath the rhythmic inhalations and exhalations. 

"I think I'm in love with you, Finn," he mouthed to himself, afraid to say the words out loud. It floated there between them, a half delivered message. 

Poe didn't doubt for a moment that his feelings for Finn were pure and true, but he did doubt himself. The only thing he had ever given himself to wholeheartedly was the Resistance. Relationships in his past had been brief and temporary, only ever minor distractions that he had fled from when feelings got involved. He worried that he didn't know how to be in a relationship, that he couldn't give Finn what he deserved. His worries and fears wrapped their tendrils around his admission of love and pulled it back inside his heart, where he would keep it safe for now. 

He drifted off in the warm bed, floating hazily through the light upper layers of sleep. He felt Finn move about, kissing him on the forehead before rising from the bed. The sound of running water indicated that he was showering. The absence of Finn in the bed with him made that admission of love ache within the chambers of his beating heart. 

He opened his eyes when he heard the drawers of the dresser opening and closing. He sat up, rubbed his eyes, and was incredibly pleased with the scene before him. The sun cast its rays brightly in through the window, illuminating Finn, clad only in a towel as he pulled clothes from the dresser. The brown of his skin was transformed into a deep gold with the sun's light, and he looked otherworldly beautiful, as if he were stardust in human form. 

Poe was mesmerized as he watched the muscles of Finn's back contract and stretch as he pulled a dark grey shirt up and over his head. The fabric was pulled down tightly across his back, hiding the scar that stretched from his shoulder to his hip, the remains of his wounds at the hand of Kylo Ren. Finn dropped the towel, tight trunks beneath leaving little to Poe's imagination, and pulled on a pair of rugged black pants. 

Poe let out a long, low whistle, causing Finn to whip around in surprise. "Were you watching me!" He yelped, embarrassed, and walked over to the bed. 

Poe, laughing, replied, "I mean, I looked up and there you were, golden and beautiful. What else could I do but watch?" 

Finn snatched a pillow and tossed it playfully at Poe, then jumped on the bed, straddling the pilot beneath him. "Well then, did you like what you saw?" 

Poe grinned devilishly. "Oh, I very much liked what I saw: the most beautiful man in the galaxy, resplendent in sunlight." 

Poe reached up and ran a finger down Finn's neck, hooked it in the top of his shirt, and pulled him down on top of him. Finn leaned in willingly, bringing his mouth to meet Poe's quickly, passion igniting a spark between their lips. Their kiss deepened further, each pushing hungrily into the other, quiet moans of pleasure coming from both men. Poe turned Finn's head to the side and kissed and sucked and nipped at the side of Finn's face, working his way across his neck. 

"Uhhh, Poe, that feels nice..." Finn whispered. 

Poe's voice came out in a low guttural growl, thick with lust. "Do you have any idea how badly I want to take these clothes back off of you?" The skin of Finn's neck was hot beneath his ravenous mouth as he continued to kiss and suck at the flesh. 

Finn let out a surprised yelp as a knock on the door sounded into the room, causing them both to freeze. 

"Boys? I'll be downstairs when you're ready," Rey called from the hallway. 

Finn rolled to lay beside Poe, panting slightly to catch his breath. "How does she even know you're in here?" 

Poe chuckled. "She knows everything." He sat up, slid his left hand up under Finn's shirt, fingertips gliding over taut abdominal muscles and the swell of his chest, stopping to rest above his thudding heart as he kissed him deeply one last time. Poe whispered in his ear, "To be continued," then pulled himself back, letting his hand brush against the growing bulge in Finn's pants, causing the other man to inhale sharply. He hopped off the bed and went to prepare himself for their day, leaving Finn looking a bit dazed in the bed. Poe smiled to himself as he pulled his shirt off on his way into the bathroom, hoping that Finn was watching. 

* * *

When they went downstairs, they found that the Shipwright had provided a fabulous breakfast for them. Fruits, pastries, meats, eggs; there seemed to be a little bit of everything available. Finn and Poe joined Rey at the table and they dug in, talking and laughing as they ate. Eventually, the Shipwright and Antuuj appeared, two service droids following closely behind with two full packs and a weapons case. 

"Your weapons and supplies, as requested." The Shipwright indicated the packs carried by the droids. "I had the droids prepare and pack food for you as well. Is there anything else you'll be needing?" 

"I think we've got everything," Poe said, wiping his mouth with a cloth napkin. "I have to ask, what exactly is the plan once we have your children? The First Order won't just leave this alone. They'll come back when they realize what's happened." 

The Shipwright's expression grew serious. "When you retrieve my children, they will go with Antuuj somewhere safe. I will personally take you to the ships. As much as I do not wish to abandon my home here, it is no longer safe. I can't stand by anymore as a new Empire rises up." He paused. "There is a communication device in the pack as well. When my children are safe, you will contact me. We will rendezvous and go from there. I have one last surprise in store for the First Order." At this last comment, he got a dangerous glint in his eye. 

"Understood." Poe looked to Rey and Finn. "You two ready for this?" They both nodded, and he turned back to the pair of Twi'lek. 

"Very well. Two of my men will escort you to your ship to ensure that you don't have any bounty hunter mishaps on the way. I will see you when the job is done." He and Antuuj bowed slightly and left the room. 

Rey stood from her seat. "Well then, I think we have some children to help." 

* * *

The return to _The General’s Hope_ was uneventful, thankfully. If they were recognized for their bounty, nothing came of it. Poe gave the ship a once over while Rey started preparations in the cockpit. The Shipwright’s guards stood by, instructed to provide protection until they lifted off. Once it was determined that everything was in working order, they strapped in for take-off. 

Rey piloted the freighter out and away from Anthan Spire, fortunately unburdened by any electrical storms. Poe and Finn separated out the weapons and stocked the packs up appropriately. Poe flipped open the weapons case, his eyes widening when he looked inside. 

“Wow, Antuuj didn’t skimp on the weapons,” Poe said. Sunk in thick black foam were six brand new firearms, all shiny dark metal and very serious looking. “A blaster for each of us, two auto-rifles, one for you and one for Rey, and I’ll handle the long-range rifle.” 

Finn picked up one of the auto-rifles, checked it over, pulled it apart, inspected the power cell, tested the trigger mechanism, and slotted it all back together again. “These are quality. He set us up good.” 

“I should think so. His siblings are at stake after all,” Poe responded. 

“And so is the Resistance. If the Shipwright has access to weapons of this caliber, perhaps our business dealings can extend to re-arming the Resistance,” Finn said as he pulled each weapon apart, checked it over, slapped it back together, and reached for the next one. 

“What are you looking for?” Poe asked, curious. 

“Ehh, old habit. I like to make sure there’s nothing to compromise my firearm. Besides, it doesn’t hurt to check for any additional mods, like tracker bugs or failsafe triggers. Just in case.” 

Poe nodded. “Good thinking.” 

Rey called back from the cockpit. “Poe? We’re getting close to the moon.” 

Poe stood, sliding his blaster into his belt. “I better go.” He leaned in, kissed Finn on the lips, lingering briefly, and left him with the weapons. Entering the cockpit, he slid into the co-pilot’s seat and checked their coordinates. 

Looking out the front of the _Hope_ , he could see Anthan 14 growing slowly larger in front of them. It was a relatively small moon, and it was relatively uninhabited now. It had once been mined relentlessly for titanium, long before the Empire fell. It was now just a rocky husk riddled with abandoned mines and tunnels. It had a low atmosphere, so they would need breathers while out on the surface, and it was prone to dust storms, which they planned to use to their advantage. 

“There,” Poe said, indicating a growing range of hills to their right. “Bring it in low and land down around that lowest slope.” The outpost was roughly a mile from the place they were headed, and the hills should keep their landing out of sight. It was paramount that they retained the element of surprise for as long as possible. Rey angled the ship down closer to the surface and approached the hills. 

The landing was moderately smooth. Finn checked the sensor readings while Poe and Rey strapped on their gear. “Okay, we have about five hours until this part of the moon revolves away from the sun. There’s a lot of atmospheric disturbance, so it seems like things will get pretty dusty out there.” 

Poe passed a breather to each of them. “Before we hike out, are there any questions on the plan?” He strapped his breather onto his face as the other two shook their heads. It was time. 

* * *

The hike was fairly simple. Sticking to the low points among the hills, it took them about an hour before they spotted the outpost. It was simple. A central building sat in the center of a large flat area. Two smaller outbuildings were beside it, and a transport vessel and two TIE fighters were secured about a thousand feet from the building, on the furthest side of the clearing. Nearest to them was a communications antenna, set out near the outer edge of the flat ground. 

There was no living movement on the grounds, but a faint stream of smoke rose from a vent on the right side of the building. It seemed that they thought themselves obscured enough that they didn’t expect visitors. They settled in to wait and watch. 

After another hour, they learned that a two-man patrol was sent out every thirty minutes to walk the perimeter. The patrol took roughly ten minutes, which meant that there were twenty minutes of clear time in which they could be reliably sure they would not be detected. It was clear that they had been out here for a long time. The stormtroopers on patrol barely looked around, clearly uninterested in a task that they had carried out an endless amount of times. Surely, they had seen no action in quite a while, if ever.

Over the course of the next hour, the wind started to kick up, whipping at the trio in sharp gusts, casting dust and larger rock debris across the ground. The patrols continued every thirty minutes. After the last one completed their perimeter and retreated back into the outpost, Poe rose up to a crouch. 

“Time for phase one,” he said, voice distorted by the breather. 

Rey nodded, and Finn looked him in the eyes. “Be careful.” 

Poe set off in a wide circle around the southern part of the base, back down into the low points of the hills so as not to be spotted. By the time he had reached the far side of the clearing, the next patrol was out completing their perimeter. The wind had died down again. He crept closer to the outpost before pausing to wait, hidden behind a collection of large rocks. As soon as they went back inside, he sprang up from his hiding spot. 

In a low crouch, he moved quickly toward the ships. As far as he could tell, his approach had been undetected. Checking the timer on his wrist often, he set to work attaching explosives to the ships. He carefully placed two on each TIE fighter, one under each wing joint, making sure to place them up inside the shadowy parts as much as possible, and crawled under the transport. 

He placed two charges at the front of the transport and two at the back, slid back toward the fuel line in the center of the vessel. His timer beeped, and he knew that he only had about five minutes left. He secured the charges, crawled out from under the ship, and hustled back toward the rocks as his timer beeped again, indicating one minute. Nearing the rocks, he threw himself down into a slide, slipped past the first large boulder, and scrambled back behind it. 

“Fuck.” He cursed quietly to himself as he looked out and saw that he had kicked up a floating trail of dust that indicated his path. On the other side of the outpost, the troopers emerged right on time to complete their perimeter. He barely breathed as they slowly circled toward him, silently willing the dust to settle again. He sat with his back to the large rock, facing out into the empty hills, and listened intently. 

Listening and waiting as…….

The sound of the troopers' footsteps approached…..

And began to fade away. 

He was clear. 

Waiting a few more moments, he peered around the rock and saw the backs of the patrol heading into the building. He waited for another beat before retreading his wide half-circle along the outside of the base. The light of the sun was slowly sinking down toward the horizon. He made it back to the others as the sun started to dip below the hills. Only a little bit more waiting. 

The wind started to pick up again as the last rays of light reached from beyond the hills. Soon, thick clouds of dust were sweeping through the clearing, darkening the sky even faster. The moment of attack was approaching. 

After the most recent perimeter cycled through, and the last of the sun’s light began to fade into the darkness of space, Finn and Rey got ready to go. 

“Phase two,” Poe confirmed. 

Finn and Rey disappeared down into the hills. Poe got the long-range rifle out and stretched out flat on top of the hill, peering down through his scope to watch the next patrol move through. As they returned to the outpost, Poe watched his two comrades sprint out to the comms antenna. Rey began fiddling with the control panel, splicing wires together as Finn secured an explosive charge to the back of the base, then kept watch while she worked. Poe watched through the scope as Rey closed the panel, turned back to Finn, and they rushed to the side of the building, slipping around one of the external outbuildings. 

Rey’s voice crackled in Poe’s ear. “We’re clear, Poe. Do it.” 

“Copy that,” he replied. “Standby for phase three.” 

The wind was constant now, rushing from behind Poe toward the outpost, carrying dust and sediment along with it. He pulled the comm device off his belt, tuned it to the frequency they had determined earlier that the outpost was using, and pressed the speaker button in three long bursts. He waited to see if Rey’s wiring trick was successful. If it was, the comm tower would be unable to translate the actual sounds being transmitted, and instead would send incredibly loud bursts of static throughout the building. If nobody came to check out the antenna, he would have to blow it up to kick off their attack.

It wasn’t long before the door slid open and a group of five troopers emerged. Two of them set about to complete the standard perimeter, while the other three went directly to the antenna to see what was wrong with it. One of them walked forward to look out into the darkness; one knelt down and opened up the panel, and the third stood behind him to keep watch. Poe aimed down his scope at the trooper standing behind his crouched partner, his finger sliding securely against the trigger.

“Engage phase three.” 


	17. Chapter 17 -- Taking Back Hope -- Finn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The rescue mission continues.

Finn and Rey were pressed up against the backside of one of the outbuildings, waiting for the patrol to move past them. The two troopers completing their perimeter walked slowly by, failing to notice them in the shadows. They drew their rifles up and aimed down sights at the patrol. 

Poe’s voice crackled through the comms. “Engage phase three.” 

A sharp _CRACK_ pulsed through the howling wind. The two troopers turned toward the antenna as a second _CRACK_ sounded. Finn and Rey steadied their rifles. 

“Now,” Rey said. 

_PSHEWW. CRACK_. 

They pulled their triggers at the same time, dropping both troopers to the ground. Simultaneously, Poe took his final shot. Finn and Rey each grabbed their respective trooper and dragged them behind the shed building. He looked over to see all three of the troopers at the antenna were sprawled on the ground thanks to Poe’s rifle skills. By the Shipwright’s intel, there were another twenty or so still inside the building. Time to make some noise. 

“Alright, Poe.” Rey advised. “Blow one of the ships.”

Though the wind was loud as it rushed by them, whipping dust and debris all throughout the clearing, it couldn’t deaden the sound of the explosion. Finn watched as one of the TIE fighter was engulfed in flames as its wings went flying in either direction. A dark plume of smoke rose from the wreckage but was quickly pulled away by the storm, a swiftly moving acrid stream. A piercing alarm sounded, adding to the chaos that had become the outpost. 

The front door slid open and a dozen troopers rushed out, weapons drawn and ready. A commander led the way, signified by the red shoulder plate. He indicated for four of the troops to approach the antenna while the other eight jogged over to the ships. 

Finn looked at Rey and gestured toward the door. “We’re moving in, Poe.” They ran over to the door, flanking both sides. He looked at Rey and nodded. She hit the button set in the wall, causing the doors to slide apart. Finn led the way, rifle in front of him. 

They were in a wide hallway, red lights flashing in alarm. Two troopers stood at the end of the hall, startled to see Finn and Rey. Finn started firing, covering Rey as she pulled apart the door keypad to keep it locked. The troopers ducked toward either end of the hallway as Finn put down constant fire to give her time. 

“Got it!” Rey yelled, pivoting into a doorway to the right of the hallway while Finn slid to the left. The troopers edged out, firing down the hallway toward them. Finn ducked out, fired a shot, and caught one in the shoulder, sending them stumbling backward. The sound of boots pounding on the metal floor heralded the appearance of three more troopers who quickly opened fire. 

“Finn!” Rey yelled. 

He looked to her as she tossed her rifle to him which he caught and swung over his shoulder. He started firing out into the hall to provide an opening. A bolt of energy slammed into the wall by his head, sending sparks shooting around him. He slammed back against the door, shaken by the close call.

_Remember your training. Focus._ He breathed deeply, slowed his heart, and visualized his next move. He was ready. 

He watched as Rey unclipped her newly-fixed lightsaber, steadied it in her hands, and pressed the switch. The power cell's energy focused through the kyber crystal in the hilt and slid cleanly up with a clean buzzing-hissing sound, extending fully in front of her, it's brilliant blue light illuminating the hallway. They turned quickly into the hallway. 

Though the troopers' faces were obscured by helmets, their shocked hesitancy was clear at the sight of a Jedi standing in their tiny outpost, armed and ready for battle. Finn raised his rifle, squeezing out a series of quick bursts. One bolt caught a trooper full in the chest, sending him backward, and another one connected with a trooper's arm, causing her to drop her blaster. They advanced down the hallway, Finn behind Rey and to her left. 

She wove her blade through the air, effortlessly deflecting the return fire from the remaining troopers, their bolts of energy harmlessly bouncing off her saber and into the surrounding metal. Sparks showered around her advance, and Finn was in awe as she dove forward, rolled, and rose up in the middle of the troopers. She swung her saber in a wide arc around her entire body and the troopers dropped to the ground. 

The hallway curved gently in both directions, seemingly circling the base. Five more troopers stomped in from the left sending a hail of energy sizzling toward them, but Rey was already in motion, the buzz and hum of her swinging blade sending blaster bolts back into two of the troopers and knocking them aside. She held her left hand in front of her, palm open, and pulled it in a twisting motion back toward, closing her fist and yanking the troopers' blasters forward out of their hands. Finn swiftly squeezed off three shots and dispatched the soldiers to the ground. 

A series of explosions shook the outpost from outside. Poe must have blown the remaining charges, completely destroying the antenna and the ships. He would move down into the clearing and deal with any remaining troopers. There should only be one or two soldiers left in the outpost if any remained at all. 

Finn called to Rey. "You go right, I'll take left. Start checking rooms for the kids." Without a word, she set off down the hallway. Finn turned to his half and started looking in rooms. Rey was beyond his line of sight when he heard blaster fire coming from her direction. He pressed on, knowing full well she could handle herself. 

Finally, he slid open a door and standing before him were the children. Two Twi'lek younglings, wearing grey jumpsuits, stood cowering in the corner. Finn started walking toward them.

"Hey, it's okay, your father sent--" 

Something slammed into his left side, sending him sprawling to the floor. A trooper had been hiding inside the door and was now on top of him, hitting him in the torso. The trooper grabbed his rifle and tossed it across the room, then raised their arm high above and brought it crashing down toward Finn's skull. He threw his right hand up and caught the trooper's arm, but the soldier punched his arm aside and grabbed his neck, applying pressure to his windpipe. 

He threw both hands up, fumbling at the trooper's helmet, sending it crashing to the side, revealing the face of a young woman, features twisted with anger and hatred. Finn remembered the blaster in his belt as he started to gasp against the pressure and slid it out and tried to bring it up to fire. The trooper grabbed his arm with both hands, temporarily freeing his airway, and slammed her full weight down his arm, his hand reflexively dropped the blaster from the impact. 

This move left her open and off-center, and Finn slammed his left fist up into the side of her head, sending her sprawling to the side. He lunged toward the blaster, rolled up to a crouch, and fired as she jumped toward him, a flashing glint of light in her right hand. The bolt of energy caught her full in the chest, and she dropped heavily to the ground. Finn stumbled to his feet, pain ricocheting through his body, especially his left shoulder and the side of his head. 

He limped toward the Twi’lek children who were clutching each other in fear, both crying profusely. “Hey, hey, shhhh, it’s okay.” Finn spoke in a low voice as he approached them, raising his open hands to show them he wouldn’t hurt them. “Your father sent me. The Shipwright. And your brother, Antuuj.” He winced as the pain in his left shoulder increased intensely. 

The children dried their faces and moved toward him, head tails swaying behind them. They were small and fearful and dressed in grey jumpsuits. The older looking one had skin the same bluish-grey hue as their father and brother, but the younger one had rusty orange flesh.

The older one spoke, his voice quivering, “Are you ok?” His hand was raised, pointing at Finn’s shoulder, which he realized felt hot and wet. 

“Ahh, fuck,” Finn swore, looking over at his shoulder to see a knife protruding from it, blood soaking his shirt around the wound. That explained the pain that had been steadily increasing. He thought back to the flash of light he had seen in the trooper's hand as she had lunged at him. She must have thrown the knife right as he fired the blaster, and he had been too hyped-up from the adrenaline of the fight to notice the immediate pain. 

“Rey, Poe?” He spoke out over the comms. “I have the kids secured. How’s it looking for you two?” 

A burst of static brought Poe’s voice through. “I’m clear. All troops down, and all ships blown.”

“Finn, I’m headed to the entrance,” Rey jumped in. “Meet me there. I cleared the other rooms, and, well, we have a slight issue to deal with.” 

“Copy that,” Finn responded. He turned to the children. “Alright, we’re going to have a little adventure to find Antuuj. Are you ready to go?” They stared at him. 

He retrieved his rifle, slung it over his shoulder, and held out his hands to the children. They each took a hand, and the three of them exited the room. They walked down and around the hallway, reaching the intersection that led to the door. He stopped in his tracks when he saw Rey’s problem standing against the wall: a training matron. 

The woman wore the same uniform as his training matrons had, but whether or not she looked like them, he couldn’t say, having been forbidden from looking at them directly. She was middle-aged, face worn with wrinkles, and her hair was pinned tightly beneath a grey officer’s cap. Her expression was stormy and serious.

He let go of the children’s hands, grabbed his rifle and marched down the hallway. “You were indoctrinating them!” He shouted, enraged at what they were being put through, enraged at what he had been put through. He shoved the rifle against the top of her chest, trauma ripping through him and causing chemicals to flood his system. Fear consumed his body and mind. “How can you abuse _children_!?” 

“Finn!” Rey was suddenly right beside him, having opened the door to the outside.”Finn, oh my gods, you’re hurt!” 

Finn didn’t care about the knife. He had forgotten it was there. He couldn’t feel anything right then, not even pain. The only thing inside him was anger, and buried deep beneath that anger was fear. 

“Do you know what she did to them?” He shouted to Rey. “What people like her did to me?” 

“Apparently,” the matron said snidely, “your own matron didn’t do a very thorough job with you. Filthy traitor.” The last words were thrown at him, like venom. 

“You see, Rey? Do you see how they are? Remorseless. They torture children, and they feel nothing about it. Why should I feel anything for her?” 

“Because you’re better than her, Finn. You’re better than the whole lot of them. Look at me.” He turned to her, locking eyes, knowing full well that she would see the fear inside of them. “She can’t hurt you anymore. And she can’t hurt these children either. We’re going to stop them, Finn. All of them. Together.” 

He looked at her for another moment, kindness radiating from his dear friend, his family. Then, slowly, he lowered the rifle, handed it to Rey, and moved away from the matron. Tears came to his eyes as he leaned against the opposite side of the hallway, finally taking a breath again. 

“No wonder you’re a traitor, you emotional--” 

Rey flicked the rifle to its lowest settings, raised it, and fired into the Matron’s midsection, stunning her and knocking her unconscious. “I think that’s quite enough out of you.” 

“By the stars, Finn!? Are you ok? Oh, my gods!” Poe was standing in the doorway staring in horror at the knife in Finn’s shoulder. He dropped his blaster to the ground and rushed over, anxiously hovering over Finn. "What should we do? Do we take it out? Does it hurt? Are you ok?" 

"Poe!" Poe paused, shocked out of his panic. Finn continued, "I'm ok for the moment. Please try to stay calm. We need to get out of here." 

"Right. I'll get the ship and bring it here." He looked Finn directly in the eyes. "Please take care of yourself while I'm gone." Finn handed him one of the auto-rifles, and he turned and walked toward the door, pausing by Rey and quietly telling her, "Keep him safe." She nodded, and he disappeared out into the darkness, the wind whipping his clothes and hair. 

Finn let out a sigh and slid to the ground. "Ok, can we please do something about this knife? I'm starting to feel it again." 

Rey turned to the kids and knelt down. "Come here, little ones, it's okay." They approached her cautiously. "Will you stay with Finn and keep him safe? I'm going to find a medical kit." 

The older one took his younger sister's hand and nodded. "Don't worry, miss, we'll stay with him. He saved us." 

Rey smiled them and walked down the hallway to find medical supplies. The children came over and sat with Finn, the young girl humming a song to herself. About ten minutes later, Rey returned with a small black case. 

"Good job!" She praised the children. "Can you watch out the window for our friend's ship?" As she came to sit beside Finn, the kids began watching outside for the approaching lights of _The General's Hope_. "Okay, I'm going to pull this out and cauterize the wound, but I think you'll need to have it checked out later for sure. Ready?"

Finn nodded, closed his eyes, and leaned his back against the wall, bracing himself for the pain. Without warning, Rey slid the knife out of his shoulder. He broke out in a cold sweat, and he could feel the blood oozing out more quickly now that nothing was in its way. Rey mopped up the blood with gauze, cleaned it as best she could with an antiseptic wipe, and began to burn the wound shut with the medical kit's cauterizing wand. Finn groaned in pain as he felt his flesh burning, the smell sickening him slightly, but Rey worked quickly and was soon done. She wiped down the wound again and taped more gauze around it. 

"That will have to do for now. How are you feeling?" 

Finn let out an exasperated laugh. "Like someone stabbed me with a knife, but I think I'll be ok." He tentatively moved his arm around, opening and closing his fingers to test his ability. "At least it doesn't seem to have hit anything important. Hurts like hell, but I can move it just fine." 

Rey sat back against the wall beside him. "I think you really scared Poe there. He worries about you a lot." 

Finn leaned back and closed his eyes. "I know he does. And I worry about him. And you. But these are the things that we have to do right now." 

She didn't say anything, and they sat there in silence for another fifteen moments. The wind was howling relentlessly outside, throwing a constant and noisy barrage of dust and debris clattering against the side of the building. Soon, the children started chattering excitedly, pointing out the window at what must be Poe returning. Finn smiled to see them acting like kids again. Maybe they would be alright. Maybe the training matron hadn't destroyed their innocence. 

* * *

  
They had loaded themselves into the ship, taken off, and made contact with Antuuj. There was a small trading outpost on Anthan 1, another of Anthan Prime's moons, and this is where they were to meet up. As they made their way to the rendezvous location, Poe flying and Rey looking after Finn and the kids, they fed the kids and got them cleaned up a bit. Within a few hours, Poe came over comms and told them to prepare for landing. The touched down next to a sleek, fast-looking transport ship. Antuuj and the Shipwright emerged as they lowered the landing ramp and made their way outside. The children screamed with joy as they saw their father and brother waiting for them, and ran excitedly to be embraced. 

The Shipwright looked rather emotional as he bowed slightly to the trio. "Thank you. I owe you a great debt."

"A debt you're about to pay, right?" Poe said. 

"Poe! Don't be rude," Rey chastised him. 

The Shipwright chuckled quietly. "No, no, it's quite fine. I understand the difficulty of negotiation. Mr. Dameron has every reason to be persistent, especially considering the stakes." He turned to Antuuj and the children, embracing each of them for a moment. "Be safe, my son. Protect your family. I will see you again soon." 

Antuuj looked to the trio. "Thank you for helping them." Then, took each child's hand and led them into the transport ship. 

The Shipwright watched as his family boarded the ship, disappearing from view, then turned back to Finn and the others. "Antuuj will take them somewhere safe, and I will pay my debt by leading you to my private spaceport. If you're ready to go, we should move along." At the sound of the transport firing up its engines, they all watched as it took off and rose up through the atmosphere, gaining speed as it pulled away from the moon. A moment later, it was gone, and there was nothing to do but board the _Hope_. 

* * *

"Finn. Finn, wake up." He opened his eyes, groggy from sleep, and sat up to see Rey standing over him. "We're descending into the atmosphere. We're almost to the Shipwright's port." 

He sat up, wiped the sleep from his eyes, and let out a long yawn. He didn't even remember going to sleep, but exhaustion had led him to lie down as they charted a course to their promised payment. The events on Anthan 14 had worn him down. He yawned again and stood. 

"Huh, I guess I drifted off. Getting stabbed really takes it out of you, eh?" He chuckled as Rey rolled her eyes. 

Poe set the ship down on the landing pad, and they descended the ramp. The Shipwright's port had been built on an unremarkable planet called Hinari. It was nighttime where they were, and Finn couldn't see much of the landscape around them. All he could tell about the planet for sure was that it was cold, at least at night. A droid emerged from the facility to greet them. 

"Master! We weren't expecting you so soon." The humanoid droid bowed slightly before turning to lead them inside. 

"Are there people living here?" Poe asked. 

The Shipwright shook his head. "No. My workforce is entirely droid maintained. They cause considerably fewer problems than people." 

He followed the droid, and the trio trailed behind him. The building they approached was immense, and judging from the amount of artificial light around it and the space behind it, there were a number of other buildings just like it. They entered the facility, the interior of which was dark, and the droid leading them began flicking a series of switches. Bright lights came on, illuminating the vast space and revealing two dozen X-Wing fighters. 

The Shipwright spoke. "Every ship in buildings one through ten is yours now." 

Poe looked back at Finn and Rey, smiling with delight, his mouth slightly agape in surprise. Finn felt a lightness blossom inside his stomach. The Resistance wasn't beat yet, and now, with these brand new ships, they were growing. Soon, they could strike back at the First Order. Soon, they could begin to free the galaxy once again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's sad when you get to the end of a chapter and you didn't write any kissing scenes for your space boyfriends.


	18. Chapter 18 -- Taking Back Hope -- Poe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn and Poe get to spend some downtime together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all. I usually like to update a bit more regularly, but it's been one hell of a week. Hope you enjoy. 
> 
> Slight warning: The "Eventual Smut" tag is going to become relevant in this chapter, so things are about to get a bit smuttier.

The morning was only beginning to break over the Hinarin horizon when Poe heard a soft knock at the door. Carefully, he pulled himself away from a peacefully sleeping Finn and quietly padded over to the door. When he opened it, he found Rey already dressed and ready to go. He glanced back at Finn, then stepped outside and closed the door behind him. 

"I just wanted to check in with you two," She stated. "I'm about to head out."

Poe yawned enormously. "Suit yourself. It's too early to be awake." 

As he stretched and yawned again, she playfully jabbed his stomach. "Yes, well, I want to give myself plenty of time. Locating General Organa and the rest of the Resistance may not be so straightforward." 

Poe's tone turned serious. "Are you sure you don't want us to come with you? You shouldn't have to go alone." 

"Yes, I'm sure. It will be fine. I'll be back before you know it." Her expression softened, and she glanced at the door to the bedroom. "Besides, I think it will be good for Finn to have a break. Obviously the knife incident was hard, but seeing that woman there who had been indoctrinating the Shipwright's children was really upsetting for him. I'm not sure I've ever seen him like that before. Take care of him." 

"I will. Always." 

She gave him a quick hug. "I'll see you soon." She exited the dwelling and faded into the growing glow of Hinari's sun as she walked toward the ship hangars. 

Poe watched her go before slipping quietly back into the room. He stood by the door for a moment and watched Finn sleep flat on his back. He would never get tired of this sight. Slow, calm breathing, no hint of concern on his smooth facial features, and the gentle rise and fall of his chest showed Poe that Finn was in a state of peace. He crawled back into the bed, slid under the blankets, and lay on his side facing Finn. 

Finn must have woken slightly at the noise because he stirred slightly, eyes still closed, and murmured, "What's going on?"

Poe snuggled in close to him, pressing his body against Finn's, and laid his head on Finn's chest, his left hand across his body and resting on his left pectoral. Finn placed his arm around Poe's shoulders. "Nothing," Poe replied. "Rey was just checking in before she headed out. Go back to sleep. You need to rest." 

"Mmmmm... ok" His breathing grew steady and rhythmic again, a sign that he had slipped back into the layers of sleep. Poe could hear Finn's heart beating, strong and sure. It wasn't long before he was also pulled back under. 

* * *

It was a bit later when he woke again. He rolled onto his left side to look out the window now that the sun had fully risen. It seemed that this part of Hinari, at least, was rock formations, flat plateaus, and ice, lots and lots of ice. He supposed it was as good a place as any for the Shipwright to have built his private ship drydock. Planets like these, with less than hospitable biomes and environments, tended to mean less galactic traffic and a lower chance of discovery if you were trying to keep something hidden. 

In addition to the facility, the Shipwright also had a main residence for himself and his family when he visited, and two smaller but equally nice dwellings for, as he put hit, "When I was entertaining warlords and criminals. You know: clients." It was in one of these two cabins that Finn and Poe were now. They had the ships, but they needed people to fly them. That's where Rey came in. 

Rey had been given a binary beacon by the General so that they could find where the Resistance had moved so that they could remain hidden from the First Order. They had decided last night that Rey would take a large transport ship to find the rest of the Resistance and bring people back to fly the ships off-world. Poe didn't like that she was going alone, but he knew that she could handle herself. Besides: she was right; Finn needed a break. Honestly, they all did. Nonetheless, now they would wait for her return. 

Finn touched his shoulder. "Hey you. What are you thinking about over there?" 

Poe smiled. "What makes you think that I'm thinking anything?" 

"Because," Finn said as he pulled himself over and onto his side behind Poe, "when your brain starts going you get all still and barely breathe." 

Poe laughed. "Is that true? I never noticed."

Finn kissed the back of Poe's neck, and Poe could feel him smile against it. "Oh, it's definitely true." He pressed himself against Poe's body entirely, tangling their legs together and wrapping his arm up around Poe's torso. He kissed the back and side of Poe's neck, and Poe could feel his chest expanding and contracting against his back as he breathed. Poe pushed himself backward slightly, snuggling himself even closer to Finn, and could feel that his chest wasn't the only thing expanding back there. 

"Do you think we should have gone with Rey?" Finn was clearly worried about her. 

"I offered again this morning. She said you deserved some rest, and I happen to agree with that assessment. We can have one day where we don't save the galaxy, I think. Besides all that, she's Rey. She'll be fine." 

Finn sighed. "Yeah, you're right. She'll be fine. And if I'm being perfectly honest, a little rest doesn't sound so terrible." 

"Mmmm," Poe started, "since we're being perfectly honest, I'm more than happy to spend a day devoid of distractions with you."

He could feel Finn smile against his neck again. "Really?" 

Poe pulled Finn's right hand up to his mouth and kissed the back of it. "Really. No one I'd rather spend my day with than you." 

Finn went silent for a minute, and Poe rolled around to look at him. He wasn't quite crying, but his eyes were wet. "Heyyyy, what's wrong? Did I say something?" Poe reached out a hand and cupped Finn's face, stroking his cheek with his thumb.

Finn smiled with a slight thread of sadness. "Nothing is wrong. I'm just so happy to be with you, to spend time with you, to be cared about by you. I never thought in all my life that I would find something like this. I'm not sure what did to deserve you." 

Poe felt the words in his head straining to come out. The admission that he had kept inside the day before was once again pushing its way forward. "I'm really happy to be with you too, Finn. I've never felt this way before about anyone. But, Finn, none of us deserves anything in life. You don't deserve me any more than I deserve you, because that's not how the universe works. But you are you, and you are good and kind and strong and those are the things that make me want to be with you. I don't think I can deny the truth anymore. I want to be with you because I love you, Finn." 

Finn's eyes widened in surprise at these words. "I, uh, I don't know what to say right now. I'm sorry." 

Poe smiled and leaned forward to kiss him lightly on the lips. "Don't be sorry. You don't have to say anything. I know that you're still figuring out all of this, new feelings and whatnot. I'm content enough with the way you look at me. That says everything I need to know." 

Finn paused for a moment, just looking at Poe, then pushed forward to kiss him. Poe accepted the kiss more than willingly, softening into Finn's advance, letting him take the lead at first. Finn took his time with the control that Poe gave up, kissing him deeply and passionately. Their lips collided, pushing and pulling at each other, connecting their desire. Poe could feel the spark of passion building in him, whipping up into a flame that threatened to overtake him.

He began to take over a bit more, nipping at Finn's lips, sucking on them gently as he strove to pull more of Finn into his mouth. Soon, he was flicking his tongue into Finn's mouth, seeking more contact. Finn started to repeat this new move on his end, tentatively pushing his tongue forward as well. Poe was emboldened by this reciprocity and became more aggressive with his lips and his tongue, hungry for more. 

His passion was almost too much, and arousal flooded through his body, tightening his pants. Seeking more contact, he pushed himself on top of Finn, sliding his hand up under Finn's shirt to feel the soft skin and hard muscle of his stomach. Finn reached up and slid his own hands under the hem of Poe's shirt, grasping at his back, pulling Poe down against him. Poe felt as though everywhere Finn's hands touched his bare skin was alight with flame, heat spreading from his fingertips. Finn's left hand worked its way higher up Poe's back, tracing the muscle, sliding across his broad shoulders, while his left hand worked its way lower to the small of his back, pulling Poe's hips down to meet his own. 

Poe gasped into Finn's mouth as he felt his hardening erection press against Finn, pulsing a wave of pleasure through him. Finn pushed his own hips up, pressing his erection up against Poe, experimenting with the sensation. Their kissing deepened as they ground against each other, lips and tongues twisting and turning through a complicated dance of passion and companionship, two partners seeking to please the other while trying to fulfill their own intensely desirous hunger. 

Poe paused and pulled back slightly, looking Finn in the eyes. "Are you ok with all of this? I don't want to push you into anything you aren't ready for." 

Finn nodded. "I trust you, Poe." 

"Stop me if I go too far. Promise me. I don't ever want to make you uncomfortable." 

'I promise, Poe. Please don't stop." 

A wicked smile spread across Poe's face. "Oh, I have no intention of stopping just yet." 

He straddled Finn's waist and leaned back, sliding his shirt up over his head before tossing it to the ground. He rocked his hips back and forth, rubbed against Finn's erection. Finn lay there in front of him, dazed from the experience. Poe took Finn's hands and placed them on his stomach. 

"Don't be shy."

He continued to move his hips, increasing Finn's arousal. Finn began to slide his hands across the muscles of Poe's stomach, taking his time before moving them up to Poe's chest. He spread his hands across Poe's defined chest, running his thumbs down the valley in the center, massaging the tissue at the top of the pectoral with his fingertips, grasping as much of each muscle as he could with his hands. His left hand continued to massage Poe's chest while his right slid up his neck to cup his face, his thumb caressing Poe's cheek. Poe closed his eyes and leaned his head against Finn's hand, continuing to push against Finn's erection. Finn started to pant, mouth open, drawing in quick shallow breaths, eyes locked with Poe's. 

Finally, he gasped out, "I think we better slow down a bit before... well..." 

Poe understood. "Shhh, come here." Poe slid backward to fall between Finn's legs and pulled Finn toward him so that they were sitting in each other's laps. He slipped his hands under the hem of Finn's shirt and pushed upward, Finn raising his arms to help him remove the shirt, and tossed it over near his own. The sight took his breath away. Dark skin and defined muscle, the body of a soldier. His left shoulder still bore the bandage Rey had applied after cauterizing his wound. 

"By the gods, every part of you is beautiful," Poe uttered, almost disbelieving that this man was real. 

Finn got a sheepish look on his face and glanced downward, almost seeming embarrassed. 

"I'm sorry," Poe said. "I don't mean to make you uncomfortable." 

"No, it's fine," Finn was quick to add. "Really. I'm just not used to someone looking at me like that." 

"Hey," Poe said, softly. "Look at me." Finn looked up and gazed into Poe's eyes. "I think you're the most beautiful man I've ever seen. I never want to take my eyes off of you." 

They leaned into each other, lips finding one another again, seeking connection. The intensity of their passion had not lessened but had instead been tempered by the importance of these moments between them. They were driven by a desire to be together, to touch and explore, to show love and kindness. Their kissing was deep and passionate, but slower, more thoughtful. Their hands explored each other, caressing faces and necks, running fingers through hair, tracing fingertips along muscled torsos. Their arousal did not lessen, but its fruition became less important at that moment. 

"Poe?" Finn spoke after a while.

"Yeah?" 

"Is it ok if we, you know, don't go any further right now?" He could tell that Finn felt awkward asking this. 

"Of course it's okay. I don't want to push you. I want you to be ready and comfortable." 

They held each other for a long while, simply enjoying being close with one another, torso to torso, flesh to flesh, hands caressing the other's back. Eventually, they laid back down. Poe was flat on his back with Finn against his side, head resting on his bare chest, right hand on top of his right pectoral. They stayed that way, neither talking. Poe loved the feeling of Finn touching his bare skin. He was completely content in that moment, being there with Finn. He could see a lifetime of this closeness stretching before him, he and Finn sharing a life and a love. 

It wasn't long before Finn slipped back into sleep. His body was still healing from the knife wound, and it was probably still causing him a lot of pain. Poe carefully slid away from him and went to get a shower. He hadn't washed the dust of Anthan 14 off him yet, he realized. 

He turned the water on and let it get nice and hot, cleaning his teeth and mouth while he waited. He shed his remaining clothing and stepped into the hot spray, the pressure of the water stinging against his skin, just how he liked it. He could feel the sweat and dust of their mission being washed from his skin and hair as he soaked it as well. He cleaned his hair, rinsed it out, and lathered up soap on his body, working his way down to realize...

Well, maybe all of his arousal hadn't dissipated. He was rather erect, and when he thought back to his morning in bed with Finn, his erection grew even stiffer. He hesitated for a moment and considered. 

_I mean, why not?_

Hands still soapy and slippery, he grasped his erection with his left hand, squeezing as he began to stroke himself back and forth. He thought about Finn shirtless in bed with him, their hands on each other, skin touching skin... His erection grew even harder, throbbing with need and lust. His right hand came up to run over his own chest, teasing his nipples, his left hand increased the pace that he stroked his erection, squeezing and twisting. He thought about Finn's mouth on his, tongues exploring each other, the heat of Finn's fingers on his skin, the taste of Finn's skin in his mouth. He could feel the climax rising in his, tensing his body as he stroked himself even faster. 

He thought about what he had wanted to do with Finn. He thought about what it would be like to kiss and lick and nip at his neck, his chest, his stomach. What it would be like to slip Finn's pants off and expose the throbbing erection that he had felt pressed against him. What it would be like to take Finn's erection into his mouth so that he could lick and suck and swallow-- His entire body tensed as he reached orgasm, his left hand continuing to stroke his pulsing cock, his right hand bracing himself against the shower wall as the climax rocked his body, shooting his hot cum down with the torrent of water. 

It took him a moment to recover himself. His heart was pounding, his breath ragged, and his orgasm had been so intense. He couldn't wait to make love to that beautiful man, to explore his body, to take every inch inside himself, and to pleasure him to orgasm again and again. Eventually, he regained his composer, cleaned himself up, and finished his shower.

_All things in their time,_ he thought to himself as he dried off. 

* * *

When Poe emerged from the bathroom clad only in a pair of tight trunks, Finn was awake and lying in the bed staring off. 

"Credit for your thoughts?" Poe asked as he selected some clothes to wear.

Finn looked over at him and smiled. "Well right now I'm thinking that you should never wear clothes again." 

Poe rolled his eyes and pulled on a pair of dark brown pants. "And what you were actually thinking about was?"

Finn sighed. "Nothing. Everything. Just worrying." 

"About Rey?" 

"Yeah. And the rest of the Resistance. Rose and General Organa. Just... worrying." He sat up on the edge of the bed. 

Poe came over to stand in front of him. He kissed Finn's forehead, and Finn wrapped his arms around his midsection. "I can't promise everything will be ok. But Rey can definitely take care of herself. The rest of the Resistance is gods know where. I'm sure they're safe."

Finn let himself fall back onto the bed. "Yeah, you're probably right."

Poe winked. "I usually am. Why don't you go get a shower and I'll clean and redress your wound. And stop laying there shirtless looking so beautiful." He tossed a pillow at Finn who laughed and threw it back as he sat forward. Poe pushed against his chest, and Finn grabbed his arm, pulling Poe down on top of him. Their mouths quickly found each other, lips and tongues colliding in a renewed burst of passion as fingers and hands and skin swiftly found each other again. Finn held Poe tightly as he rolled them both to the left, their lips moving together in a swift dance. He held Poe's head, running his left hand through his hair, pressing himself up against Poe. Poe wrapped his legs up and around Finn, pulled himself even closer, bringing Poe's growing erection up against his ass. Finn kissed Poe deeply, inserting his tongue, then pulled back. 

"I better go get that shower," Finn said, smirking. He pulled away and walked to the bathroom, leaving Poe in a lustful state of arousal on the bed. 

_This man is going to drive me insane._

* * *

Long stretches of light and shadow began to form in the room as the planet continued in its revolution; the sun was no longer directly visible outside of their window, but had, instead, risen high up into the sky as the morning dragged on. Finn was sitting sprawled out a bit in a chair, legs spread, arms up on the arms of the chair. He had on a pair of rugged black pants and that was it. Poe, now fully dressed, was kneeling in front of Finn between his legs and carefully pulling the bandaging away from Finn's shoulder. 

"Well, it's not as terrible looking as I had imagined." Poe put the old bandaging aside and poured a disinfectant liquid on a cloth, which he used to clean the wound and the area around it. He pressed lightly against the cauterized scar. "Does it still hurt?" 

Finn rolled his eyes. "Poe, I was stabbed yesterday, of course, it still hurts. But it's manageable. Does it look okay?" 

"I'm not exactly a medic, but it seems Rey sealed the wound up fine. The knife it seems was relatively small, which is good." He squeezed a dab of anti-bacterial cream onto Finn's shoulder, using his fingers to spread it smoothly over and around the scar. "You can move your arm and fingers without any issues?" 

"No issues. Full functionality still." He squirmed a bit. "That tickles." 

Poe smiled as he finished with the cream. "Don't distract me by being all cute over there." He placed a piece of clean white gauze on the wound, stretching medical tape around the edges to hold it in place. "If we're ever around an actual medic sometime, you should have them check it out, but as far as I can tell, it should heal up fine." 

Finn leaned forward until their faces were close together. "Thank you for taking care of me." 

"I'll always take care of you." Poe moved his head forward to join their lips. The kiss started out brief and chaste but soon began to deepen. Heat and blood rushed through their bodies as the intensity of their kiss began to grow. Poe began to kiss and suck his way down Finn's neck, pausing briefly to mutter into Finn's skin, "Stop me if I go too far." He waited for a noise of confirmation from Finn before he continued. 

He worked his way down to Finn's strong shoulders, placing light kisses on his collar bone before moving onto the slop of Finn's chest. He sucked and nipped and kissed and licked his way downward until he reached Poe's left nipple. Lightly at first, he ran his thumb along the outside of it, moving in closer until he was gently brushing the top of it. Finn gasped sharply before letting out a groan of pleasure. Poe brought his mouth to the nipple instead, running his tongue over and around it before completely covering it with his lips. He sucked as he flicked his tongue forward, teasing the nipple and teasing Finn who started squirming again.

His left hand slid down across Finn's stomach, past the top of his pants, and found the growing bulge beneath the fabric. His hand rubbed and squeezed Finn's erection, while his mouth moved to suck at his other nipple. Finn was panting a bit, rhythmic moans rumbling through his chest. Poe continued down the firm pectoral, kissing his way over the hard abdominals, continuing to rub Finn's bulge. He reached the skin of Finn's lower belly, just above the top of his pants, and sucked hard at the sensitive flesh. His hand came up to the snaps on the pants and started to undo them, and then--

A knock at the door. Poe jumped up in surprise. "Gods damnit," He growled as he went to the door, adjusting his own erection so it was less obvious. He waited for a beat as Finn threw on a shirt before opening the door to find the protocol droid from the previous night. 

"Apologies, Commander Dameron," it said while bowing. "We've received a transmission from the Jedi Rey for you." The droid held up a holo-comm device and activated it. 

A glowing blue hologram of Rey's head appeared. "Poe, I've found the Resistance easily enough, but there's a separate problem." Concern knitted her brown as she continued. "Black Squadron is in dire need of your assistance at Grail City on the Planet Ikkrukk. The General implores you to hurry to their aid. I'm sending coordinates with this message." The hologram ended, and her face faded away. 

Poe was electrified. "Can you prepare one of the X-wing fighters for departure?" The droid nodded its head in approval. "Good. Do it. I'll be leaving as soon as it's fueled up and ready to go." The droid bowed again and hurried off toward the hangar. 

Finn was standing worriedly behind him when he turned around. Poe swept him up in a tight hug, wrapping his arms around him and wishing he would never have to let go. "I'm sorry, Finn. I need to go." 

"I know you do. I hate to say it, but I think this war is going to keep trying to separate us." 

"It can try, but nothing can keep us permanently apart. Nothing." Poe assured him. They kissed sweetly and intensely, the final beats of the dancers' routine. "I'll see you soon." Worry knotted his stomach as he exited the dwelling and jogged toward the hangar. The First Order would always try to keep them from the things they loved, but that was just one more reason to fight. 


	19. Chapter 19 -- Separate Ways --Finn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Left behind on Hinari, Finn receives an invitation.

Finn was bored. There wasn't any other word for it. He knew he should be grateful for the downtime, but without Rey or Poe here, he was bored. He thought about wandering around, maybe exploring the area a bit, but he didn't know the first thing about Hinari, and he didn't think that the Shipwright would be wild about poking around the facility. He couldn't find anything to read or watch. He wasn't sure what the Shipwright's customers did when they stayed here; he probably didn't want to think about it, to be honest. 

He was worried about Poe, of course. He knew that Poe would do anything to protect Black Squadron, even zip into battle without a plan. He knew that Poe's experiences with Holdo and Leia had changed him; even since they had first met, Finn had noticed that Poe had become more responsible and considerate of the whole picture. Leia was grooming him to take over for her, should it become necessary, that much was clear. Despite this, Finn knew that Poe would absolutely let his emotions take over if people he cared about were in danger. Besides all of this, Finn felt useless sitting here alone. Rey and Poe were both out doing something useful. 

He walked to the window and stared out at the frozen landscape. Unknown creatures skittered across the frozen ground, pausing occasionally to dig at the ice with four of their six limbs. They didn't look very big, but it was hard to tell from here. Besides, if they could dig through the ice, they likely had claws, providing another reason to stay inside. 

His mind started to drift away from frozen worlds with frozen creatures, and he thought about earlier. Sharing such intimacy with Poe had been amazing, if not a bit nerve-wracking. He knew that some sexual intermingling had occurred between the First Order troops since they were comprised of men and women, but he had never been interested in women, obviously. He had never been interested in anyone, really. He had become a fairly dutiful soldier up until Jakku, when he had refused to fire his weapon at those civilians. He had filled his time studying weapons and military maneuvers and the like. The fact of the matter was, he had never had sex, and he had no idea how to. He knew the very basics, of course, but that was it. He was bound to be a disappointing lover to Poe, which is something that worried him. Surely Poe was more experienced. There was no way that Poe hadn't had sex with other people, surely. Poe was gorgeous, so he had undoubtedly attracted many people in the past. How could Finn possibly measure up? 

Despite all that, he let his mind sway back to how he had felt that morning: heat at Poe's touch, pleasure where his mouth went, swelling in his pants. Poe had been so close to opening his pants and freeing his erection and then who knew what wonderful thing was going to happen next. He had never felt good like that before, and it was intoxicating. He wanted to go further with Poe, he just didn't know how, and he was afraid to admit that. 

There was a knock at the door, jarring him out of his daydream. He opened it to find the same protocol droid that had brought the message for Poe. It bowed, as always, and spoke. 

"The Shipwright has asked you to dine with him if you wish." It paused to wait for his response. 

He glanced around the room. He might as well. He cleared his throat before saying, "Sure, why not." 

"Very good, sir. Please follow me to the main residence." 

Finn grabbed the jacket that had once been Poe's and followed the droid out into the crisp cold air. The afternoon was fading, and, with it, the sun was drawing down behind the distant mountain range. The Shipwright's house was within view, so it did not take them long to walk there. Similar to his residence beneath the Spire, this one was also built to excess. The building was made of expensive-looking stone and other materials with an elaborate statuary garden outside. 

_Rose would hate this guy. He was way too much money._

They entered through the double doorway in the front of the building, and the droid turned to offer its arm to take Finn's jacket. He hesitated. It was silly, but he wanted to hang onto it. It wasn't that he didn't trust the Shipwright at this point, or his extensive droid workforce; right now, the jacket was the only thing that he had of Poe, and he didn't want to let it go. 

"Uhh, no thanks. I'll hang onto it," He said quietly.

The droid said nothing and instead turned to lead him deeper into the house. The hallways were softly lit, but they soon came to a brightly lit room with a large table in the center. An exhaustive-looking display of different types and styles of alcohol dominated one wall. The table was laid out with an array of delicious-looking foods. Finn suddenly realized how hungry he was. 

The Shipwright stood at the end of the table dressed in maroon robes with gold trim. "Ah, Finn. I'm glad you decided to join me. It seemed silly to eat alone when you were here. I thought, perhaps, we could share some food and conversation. And," he continued, gesturing at the alcohol, "can I fix you a drink? I have something from most major systems if you have a preference?" 

Finn shifted uncomfortably. He didn't really know how to talk to people. "Uhh, sure. No preference though. Whatever you're having." 

"Very good. Have a seat. Take your jacket off. Relax. We're friends of circumstance now. Speak and act freely, please." He began mixing together liquids from some of the many bottles. "I've been in contact with Antuuj. He says the children see to be doing well. They told him that the First Order was trying to train them?" 

Finn hung his jacket on the back of the chair indicated and took a seat. "Unfortunately. We found a Training Matron when we raided the facility." He fell silent, unsure what else to say. To be honest, he didn't really want to talk about it at all. He had lost control when he saw that woman there. If it hadn't been for Rey, well...

The Shipwright placed a tall glass in front of Finn and took his seat. "And what can you tell me about the Training Matrons? I assume you're familiar?" 

Finn examined the glass in front of him. The liquid was an electric blue color that bubbled gently. He hesitantly took a sip of the drink and found that it was very sweet and tasty. "This is great!" He said before taking another, longer sip. 

The Twi'lek smiled. "I'm glad you like it. It's called Berr'att. I have no idea what it means, but I found it on a horrible desert planet called Jakku while looking for old Imperial ship parts." 

Finn laughed. "Thank you! I hate Jakku. That place is miserable." 

His eyes lit up. "You're familiar? Yes, I found it a rather unpleasant place. Good for ship parts, but terrible for comfort. I have to say, I'm not very fond of sand. It simply gets everywhere." 

Finn took another sip of his drink. His head started to feel a little fuzzy. He had never really had alcohol before. "That's actually where I first met Rey and Poe. Well, I met Poe in a ship above Jakku. Those two are the only good things I found in that place." He grew thoughtful for a minute. "A lot of things happened on Jakku. It's where I first became a traitor. I refused to kill civilians. But you asked about the Matrons." 

The Shipwright nodded. "If you don't mind. I would love to hear the rest of the tale later, though. I do enjoy a good story." 

Finn thought for a moment. "I grew up in a training facility on a dark cloudy planet. The Training Matrons were responsible for indoctrinating us: making sure we obeyed orders, didn't become emotional, didn't speak out of turn, things like that. They were cruel and unfeeling." He paused, shaken by the memory. "They only cared about molding us into soldiers. It's good we got to your children when we did." He fell silent. 

"I apologize. I've made you face uncomfortable memories." Genuine concern shaded the Shipwright's voice. 

"No, it's fine," Finn said. "It's a part of me. My training as a soldier helped me raid that outpost. It helps me aid the Resistance. It will help me destroy the First Order." 

"Yes, about that." The Shipwright grew pensive. "The more I learn about the threat that the First Order poses to the galaxy, the more I wish to provide what I can to the Resistance." 

Finn smiled slightly. "General Organa will be glad to hear that. After Crait, we need all the help we can get." 

The Shipwright laughed his musical laugh. "Then it seems that our meeting was fortuitous. But, we've talked enough for the moment. Please, let us eat, and then you can tell me all about how you ended up at the Spire." 

They talked and laughed and ate and drank. Finn's head grew light as he finished his drink and the Shipwright made him a different one to try. He had no idea how long they spent together, but it had become very dark outside. Finn was surprised at how easily he was able to hold a conversation with the Shipwright. He suspected that the Twi'lek was doing the hard part; sales negotiations were his specialty after all. 

The droid entered the room, bowing as always. "Sirs, please excuse my interruption, but we've received a communication from General Organa. They seek your response as soon as possible." 

"Yes, yes, what is the message." The Shipwright beckoned the droid closer. It held up a holo-comm as it had before, and the General's face appeared from the staticky projection. 

Her voice came through clearly. "Shipwright. I thank you for the ships that you are providing the Resistance. I would ask that you permit me to bring what remains of the Resistance to the planet Hinari to temporarily shelter for a few days. We can discuss terms of payment if necessary. Please reply as soon as you can." 

The message ended. The Shipwright looked at Finn. They held eye contact for a moment before Finn nodded. The Shipwright nodded in response. 

"Message them back immediately. Tell them that we will be ready to receive them here on Hinari." The droid bowed and left the room. He turned back to Finn. "I think it's time that I met with this General Organa. She and I will have much to discuss." 

* * *

The Shipwright insisted on walking Finn back to his cabin. Since Finn had little experience with alcohol, he had become a bit drunk by the end of the night, so he was glad of the assistance. The Resistance was projected to arrive early the next morning. Finn figured he might as well get some sleep before then. Who knew what would happen after that.

He said goodnight to the Twi'lek at the door and went inside. He cleaned his mouth, washed his face, and shed his shirt and pants. Wearing only his underwear, he climbed into the bed and snuggled beneath the sheets, wishing that Poe was there with him. Poe's touch would warm him up and send his blood flowing. He thought about Poe coming out from his shower that morning. His hair had been damp with water droplets glistening in it, and his muscular chest and arms were exposed since he was only wearing underwear. Finn hadn't known where to focus: Poe's beautiful face, his muscular arms and chest, or the noticeable lines pointing down his tight abdomen to the considerable bulge. He closed his eyes and thought about smothering that beautiful man in kisses. It was only moments before he was out cold. 

Finn woke early as the sunlight was just beginning to stream in through the uncovered window. He looked to his right for Poe and remembered that he wasn’t there, causing his stomach to sink. He hadn’t heard anything about Poe’s mission, which was worrying. Surely Rey and General Organa would bring news with them. He realized that his mouth was dry, and his head hurt. 

_Ugh, is this from the alcohol? Definitely not worth it._

He dragged himself out of the bed and into the bathroom, slipped off his underwear, and stood beneath the stinging spray of hot water. The heat felt good and loosened his limbs up, but he found that he also felt a bit queasy. Water streamed down his body, hundreds of tiny rivers that pooled together in the basin. He closed his eyes, counted to ten, and breathed deeply. 

He dreaded leaving the warm sanctuary of the shower but pulled himself out anyway. He dried off, dressed, and found a handwritten note on the outside of the bedroom door. He looked around but didn’t see anyone. The droid must have slipped in while he was showering and left it. He read the note. 

“ _Please join me in the main house for breakfast.”_

He wandered that way, was let in by the droid, and found the Shipwright reading a holo-file and eating what looked to be some type of pastry. 

“Ah, my friend, please, have a seat. Would you like some caf?” Finn nodded and the Twi’lek poured him a cup. “How are you feeling? Help yourself to anything you like.” 

“My head hurts. And I’m really thirsty.” Finn grumbled. 

The Shipwright laughed. “Have some water too then. And here, eat some of this. It will help.” 

Once he started to eat and drink, he began to feel better. Soon they were talking and laughing again as they ate. His headache started to fade with the caf, and he started to think that maybe the alcohol wasn't so bad after all. After a little while, the droid came hurrying in, bowing as always. 

"Sir, incoming transmission. General Leia Organa is requesting permission to land." 

"Yes, of course, tell them to land." He dismissed the droid with a wave before turning to Finn. "Well then, let us finish up and go greet this general of yours." 

They walked out into the brisk cool air as the _Millenium_ _Falcon_ was slowly descending onto a landing pad. He could see Rey and Chewbacca through the window of the cockpit, focused on the landing sequence. Landing struts descended from the body of the ship, and it touched down as gracefully as possible. A moment later, the access ramp came down, and General Organa and Rey walked out. Rey rushed to give Finn a hug, and the Shipwright approached the General with a respectful bow. 

"General Leia Organa. I must admit, it is an honor to meet you. I've heard many tales of your exploits throughout the galaxy." He bowed again, and Leia returned it. Finn found himself more and more impressed with the scope of her talents. Diplomacy, war, and a no-nonsense attitude were all things that made her one of the best leaders they could hope to have. 

She spoke. "I presume that you are the man known as the Shipwright. I've heard much about you as well, particularly from my husband." 

A look came over the Twi'lek's face. "Yes, my new friend Finn told me of his unfortunate passing. Deepest sympathies for his loss." 

"Thank you, but there are important things we should discuss. Is there somewhere we can talk?" 

If the Shipwright was put off by her brusqueness, he didn't show it. "Of course, please join me in the main house. Your people are welcome to begin inspection of the ships in buildings one through ten. 

As Resistance members began to exit the Falcon, the General directed them toward the hangars. Rey and Finn followed as the General and the Shipwright led the way back toward the main residence. Soon, they were back in the warmth and seated around the table. The Shipwright began ordering a host of droids to take food and drink out to the Resistance members and to bring them whatever they needed. 

General Organa sipped at a cup of caf before continuing the discussion. "The thing we need most right now is a base of operations. Our base on D'Quar has been burned, and whatever use Crait may have served is gone now. We need a place that is outside of First Order space, relatively unpopulated, and unlikely to be discovered." 

The Shipwright was thoughtful for a moment. "I'm afraid that any of my suggestions may not be of much use to you. When I choose an out of the way planet for a secret purpose, I tend to choose something with a relatively unpleasant biome. Nothing keeps nosy troopers away like snow and ice." 

The General pursed her lips in dissatisfaction. "No, you're right, that is less than desirable. I would prefer that we settle somewhere with a more temperate biome." She turned to Finn. "Are there any places that you can think of? Places that you know the First Order wouldn't ordinarily go?" 

Finn thought for a moment. "Unfortunately, no, I'm not really sure. I was never involved in discussions of planets." 

Rey spoke up. "It may be less than ideal, but Master Luke chose Ahch-To for a reason. Other than the caretakers of the Jedi relics, it's mostly uninhabited." 

"From what you've told me about the islands on that planet, I wouldn't make it my first choice. Although, speaking of Luke..." The General grew silent as she thought about the problem. 

Finn took the opportunity to ask about Poe. "Have you heard anything about Poe or the rest of Black Squadron?" 

Rey replied, "They radioed in that they were successful in driving back the First Order. They were re-grouping and re-fueling before heading back toward us. They may even be on their way back here now." 

"That's it!" Leia startled them by suddenly speaking again. "I think I have the perfect place. Ajan Kloss may serve a dual purpose for the Resistance and you, Rey. It's relatively out of the way, and it shouldn't be on any Imperial records." 

"I don't understand, Leia. How does that serve me specifically?" Rey queried. 

"Because," the General answered, growing thoughtful again, "It's where Luke trained me before I decided that the Jedi path was not one that I could follow. But we must be sure. Does the ship you purchased have deep space and thorough planet scanning capabilities?" 

"Um, I'm not sure, we didn't really--" Rey began. 

"Take the _Falcon_ then. We have plenty of ships now if we need them." 

"The _Falcon_? When?" Rey questioned, surprised by this rapid turnaround. 

"Ideally? I'd say you should leave within the hour. We mustn't waste time. Take Finn and Chewbacca. Maybe one more person if you would like." 

"Me? But..." Finn paused. He didn't want to go speeding off into the galaxy right now, not when Poe was on his way back to Hinari. Then he thought about what all this meant, what it was all for. If he wanted there to ever be a future with Poe, sacrifices would have to be made now. "Yes, General. I'll be ready to go." 

_This war is going to try and keep us apart for sure_. 

The Shipwright had been silent during this exchange, but he spoke up now. "I'll have my staff fuel up your ship and prepare it for departure. Excuse me." He bowed before swiftly leaving the room. 

The next hour passed quickly. Finn gathered his belongings, retrieved the weapons from the _General's Hope_ , and walked up into the _Falcon_. Down in front, the General was providing Chewie and Rey with coordinates. Inside, he was surprised to find a familiar face. 

"Rose?" 

Her mouth broke into a wide smile when she saw him, and she threw herself at him in a big hug. "Finn! It's good to see you!" 

"Are you coming with us then? Are you feeling well enough?" 

"Oh, I'm fine, don't you even worry about it. Yup, I'm coming along. I'm tired of sitting around waiting for the First Order to show up. I want to get out and do something useful." She helped him store the weapons cases. As they were catching up, Rey and Chewie came up the ramp. 

Chewie said... well, Chewie said something. Finn had no idea what Chewie was ever saying, to be honest, but Rey nodded at him before he lumbered off to the cockpit. She turned to Rose and Finn. "Are you two ready to go, then?" 

As the ship fired up its engine, they strapped themselves in for liftoff. Finn felt a pang in his heart as he realized he wasn't going to see Poe before they left. He positioned himself so that he could see out through a window as they began to ascend up through the atmosphere. Soon they were pushing through the upper limits of Hinari's gravitational field as the blackness of space consumed his view. 

Rey's voice came over the comms. "Calculating hyperspace jump. We're going to lightspeed in ten, nine, eight..." 

A flash of light caught Finn's eye off to the right, and he realized that a small group of fighters had just sped in from hyperspace. _Black Squadron_ had made it back. His heart leaped in excitement as he realized that, just for a second, Poe was right there. 

"...three, two, one." 

He felt the lurch, the hook in his stomach, as the ship started the jump, and then Hinari and all those on it were pulled quickly away as he sped forward to Ajan Kloss. Well, almost all of him. He sent a piece of his heart back through hyperspace to Poe. 


	20. Chapter 20 -- Separate Ways -- Poe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On the heels of a victory at Grail City, Poe and Black Squadron arrive at Hinari, but trouble is not far behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!   
> It has been a little while since I posted. The world is going crazy, as we all know, and I unfortunately still have to work. Add to that some relationship issues, and I'm sad to say I got away from my favorite Space Boyfriends the past few weeks. Hope you enjoy the new chapter while I try to get myself back into the writing habit.   
> Cheers!

"This is Commander Poe Dameron, requesting permission to land. Over." 

"Permission granted, Commander Dameron, bring'em on down. Over." 

Poe angled his X-wing down toward the planet to begin his descent. "Black Squadron, we have permission to land. Make your way to the landing pad." He began flicking switches and levers preparing the ship to enter atmo. The astromech that he had, well, borrowed from the Shipwright beeped and booped into his comms irritatedly. "Hey, if you want to land this bird, go ahead," He told it, relinquishing control to the droid.

Now that he had a fighter again, he looked forward to seeing BB-8. Any astromech could get the job done, but it just wasn't the same without your buddy flying with you. As he began his descent, he saw a ship that looked suspiciously like the _Falcon_ jump to lightspeed and disappear from view. _I wonder what that's all about? Didn't the Resistance just get here?_

Within twenty minutes, they had successfully landed on the Hinarin surface. He climbed up out of the cockpit and carefully dropped to the ground, the icy air rushing in close to his face. He hadn't really missed this planet, to be honest. He heard excited beeping and squealing, and spun around to see BB-8 rolling excitedly toward him. 

"There's my guy!" He yelled, practically throwing himself to the ground to wrap his arms around the droid in a big hug. "How's my buddy? Have you been taking care of the Resistance for me? I hope you've been keeping the General happy. She gets cranky when I fly around and blow stuff up." 

"Charming as always, Commander." 

He looked up in fake surprise. "Why, General, I didn't see you there at all!" 

She rolled her eyes. "I'm sure. Any significant losses I need to know about?" 

"Not a one, General. Snap and the others mostly had it handled. They just needed an extra ship in the mix." 

"General, Commander." Snap walked up to stand beside Poe. 

"Good enough, then," Leia said. "I'll expect a full debrief report from you later, Captain Wexley. Poe, a word?" 

"I'll catch up with you later, Snap." Poe jogged to catch up with the General who had already started walking away from them. "So, uh General, did I see the _Falcon_ going somewhere?" 

Leia headed back toward the Shipwright's main residence, Poe a step behind her, and BB-8 rolling along behind them. "You did." She didn't say anything else. 

He let the silence sit for a moment before trying again. "And, uh, will you tell me about it?" 

"I will." 

He couldn't tell if she was enjoying this or not. She was a hard woman to read sometimes. "Okay then. I'm a little surprised that the Shipwright is allowing us to stay here." 

"As am I. I think Finn had quite an impression on him. He seems eager to help." 

Poe was surprised to hear this. He loved Finn, but he knew talking to people wasn't something that he was particularly gifted at. He had no idea what he could have said to the Shipwright while Poe had been gone. Speaking of Finn, where was he? Poe had hoped that he would see him by now. 

They entered the main residence and found the Shipwright sitting at the end of his dining table with an array of holo-files in front of him and a look of deep concentration on his face. When he noticed Poe and the General, he looked up with a pained smile. 

“Ah, Commander Dameron, you’ve returned. I trust all is well with your squadmates?” 

“Yes, sir. Everything is taken care of.” He eyed the table full of food hungrily. He hadn’t eaten well since Anthan Spire. 

“Help yourself to some food,” the Twi’lek said absentmindedly as he turned back to his documents. 

Poe didn’t have to be told twice. He started loading up a plate with a little bit of everything. BB-8 beeped reproachfully at him. “Hey, if you’d just gotten out of a battle, you’d be starving too.” Once they were seated and his mouth was full of delicious pastry, Leia spoke up. 

“I sent Rey, Chewbacca, Finn, and Rose to scope out our potential new base.” 

Now he knew why she waited until his mouth was full. He made a noise of protest and threw his hands up. He tried to get his food down quickly to speak, but Leia held up a hand to silence him. 

“I know what you’re going to say, that I should have waited to send you with them, but I need you here. This is the entire resistance. This is all we have, and this is also all of the ships we have. I need Wing Commander Dameron here to lead my forces if something happens.” 

“For what it’s worth,” the Shipwright said without looking up from his files, “I think your friends can handle themselves.” 

Poe sighed. “Fine, you’re both right, as much as I hate to admit it. Now back to that Wing Commander thing.” 

Leiah rolled her eyes at him for what must have been the hundredth time since he had met her. “Yes, I’m promoting you. The Resistance needs leadership, which I’ve been telling you. If we are to grow, I need people who are capable of making important decisions without me around to confirm them. You have proven your worth and dedication time and again, Poe.”

Poe looked down as he felt heat rise to his cheeks. Despite his usual grandstanding, he wasn’t always sure that he was making the right choices. To have General Organa praise his past performance was significant, especially in light of the Holdo rebellion mess. “Thank you, General. It means a lot to hear you say that.” 

“Good, because I expect you to live up to it. Now, we need to--”

She was interrupted as Snap came rushing into the room. “General, Poe,” he gasped, pausing to catch his breath. “We’ve got a problem. I think we may have had a tracker on us when we left Grail City.” 

Poe jumped up from his seat, energy coursing through him at this news. "What? What happened?" 

"Ten minutes ago, a ship jumped from hyperspace into Hinari orbit. They ran a surface scan of the planet before jumping back out. It has to be the First Order." 

Leia looked to Poe. "Wing Commander Dameron, your recommendation?" 

Poe hesitated, but only for a second before his mind was running through scenarios, thinking as he started to talk. "Ten minutes isn't much time. How much information could they have gotten from a scan that quick?" 

The Shipwright spoke up. "Not much, but if they jumped out as quickly as they came, we can reliably assume that they know some part of the Resistance is here or that I'm here. Or both." 

"Right. We need to prepare our fighters. If they come back, they'll bring friends. In the meantime, we need to get as many people in ships as quickly as possible so that they can evacuate if necessary. If we're lucky, it will only be a scouting party that returns and we might have a chance to cut it off before a fleet shows up." He looked to Leia, who nodded. 

"Poe, Snap, go prepare the fighters," Leia said, rising from the table. "I'll spread the word to everyone else." She turned to the Shipwright. "I'm afraid we may have led enemies to your doorstep, and for that, I apologize." 

The Twi'lek waved his hand. "Nonsense. I knew this was likely to happen sooner or later after I defied the First Order. I've been preparing for this day." 

Poe and Snap rushed about getting things ready. Everyone ran about, checking engines and fluid levels. BB-8 and the other droids spread the message to the other Resistance members. It wasn't long before an alarm started going off. 

The comm in his ear crackled to life. Leia's voice came across the static. "Poe, we have a light battalion above us. Two dozen ships just jumped from hyperspace, all light fighters. This might be our chance to cut off the message. Get up there." 

"I copy you, General. All fighters, this is Black Leader. It's time to fight." He climbed up into the cockpit and started flicking switches to prepare for take-off. BB-8 was lifted up into the rear of the fighter, chattering and beeping away diagnostic readings for Poe's benefit. Within minutes, the fighter was warmed up and ready to go. "All units, this is Black Leader. I'm initiating take-off procedure in three, two, one.--" 

The engine burned to life, propelling the ship forward and throwing Poe back into his seat. BB-8 let out a WHOOOOO of excitement as they lifted up off the ground and began a sharp curve up into the atmosphere. The rest of the fighters were sounding off as they took off and joined Poe in his ascent. The sky above him darkened as the atmosphere thinned away to the emptiness of space, and stars took over his field of vision. The sight of the stars made him think of Finn and all those years that he had spent looking up at space for hope. Now they looked to each other to kindle their hope, and that hope burned to life in his chest as he thought about the last time he had seen that beautiful man. Kind eyes, dark skin, soft lips. Nothing was going to threaten that, especially not these First Order ships. 

BB-8 beeped excitedly as targets started popping up on his radar. "This is Black Leader. Targets are in sight. Confirmation that they are First Order ships. Fire at will." He leveled out the ship and aimed it toward the approaching flock of TIE-fighters. "BB-8, punch it!" The engine flared up, and they began approaching the enemy ships at an intensely fast rate. As they got closer, the TIEs started firing bolts of red energy at him and the other Resistance fighters. He dodged the incoming fire easily, getting ever closer until-- "Full power to tilt-thrusters!" 

Poe twirled to the side of the quickly approaching enemy, spinning right through their ranks and out behind them. He whipped his ship around so that he was once again facing the TIEs, only this time their weapons were pointed away from him. He had the upper hand for a moment. He targeted a ship on the left edge and shot of a pair of rockets before doing the same to a ship on the right, attempting to crowd and confuse them. He started firing blasters, attempting to take as many out before they dispersed. Balls of smoke and fire erupted as TIE-fighters exploded into the void, and the remaining fighters broke formation to spread out. The Resistance fighters swooped in from all sides at this point and quickly eliminated the majority of the fighters as they attempted to escape the very dangerous position they had previously occupied. 

There was only a handful left now, and Poe set his sights on what he figured would be his final target. The pilot was reasonably skilled and managed to dodge away from him for a brief amount of time, but eventually, Poe's blasters caught the wing joint of the TIE, sending the ship spiraling down to the frozen Hinari surface, a dark plume of smoke trailing its descent. 

"Black Leader, one of the TIEs is attempting to escape!" Jess shouted urgently into the comms. Poe swung his ship around, trying to locate the remaining TIE. There. One ship had broken away from the fight and was flying directly away from the planet. There was no doubt that it was calculating its jump. 

"BB-8, you know what to do. We have to stop that fighter!" Poe's fighter accelerated quickly, jettisoning him toward the escaping TIE at a breakneck pace. The distance was too great, and he didn't think he would be able to catch it. He started firing off rockets and blasters, anything to try and damage the ship before it-- 

"Fuck!" With a streak of light, the TIE shot off into hyperspace, leaving Poe and the squadron behind. The last few fighters were shot down, and they all returned to the surface. Poe jumped down from his ship onto the landing pad. "Son of a bitch! Fuck!" He kicked a very immovable barrel, nearly breaking his foot. 

"Wing Commander Dameron." General Organa was approaching. "Compose yourself." 

Poe took a deep breath and reigned it back in. "You're right, General. I apologize. But one of them got away. There's no telling how long we have until they return with reinforcements." 

"That is correct, Poe. Which means we had better start preparing. Our friend the Shipwright has a few tricks prepared for the First Order." She turned and walked away. 

Poe looked up into the sky and wondered where Finn and the others were. He hoped that their mission was going better than his own. He hoped that Finn was safe, and he couldn't wait to pull him in for a tight embrace. 

  
  
  



	21. Chapter 21 -- Seeking Refuge -- Finn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn, Rey, Rose, and Chewie search for Ajan Kloss in the hopes of finding a new base.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all, it's been a rough couple of months for us all. Following the tragic ending of my relationship, it's time to get back to my true passion in life: our beloved Space Boyfriends Finn and Poe.   
> Enjoy a new chapter, and expect much more coming soon.   
> Stay safe everyone.

Rey's voice came over the comms into the main room of the _Falcon._ "Finn, Rose. We're about to come out of hyperspace. Be ready in case we find trouble." 

Finn felt a pang of anxiety in his chest as the pull of the ship exiting hyperspace settled in his stomach. He had been all over the galaxy in the past few weeks. Different worlds, different people, different dangers... It had been a rather eventful time. Despite all that, the war was far from over, so he found himself on yet another mission. At the time of Leia's training with Luke, Ajan Kloss had been uncharted by Imperial records. Since most of the First Order's information had been scavenged from the Empire, the hope was that they were still unaware of this place. 

"Finn, are you okay?" Rose looked genuinely concerned as she peered across the table at him. He was glad to see that she was looking healthy again after the incident on Crait. 

He smiled weakly. "I'm fine. Just worried about, well, about everything." 

Rey's voice continued to provide updates. "Back in normal space. Ajan Kloss has been sighted. Running scans now." 

"You know you can talk to me, right?" Rose was still looking at him like she was worried he might break in front of her. "I know that, in the past, you were encouraged to keep quiet about your feelings, but it doesn't have to be like that now. I'm always here to listen if you need me." 

Finn felt the anxiety began to ease. He smiled more genuinely before saying, "Thank you, Rose. I really do appreciate that." 

"Scans are coming back empty," Rey broke in. "It looks like we might actually be clear. Setting a course to land at Leia's coordinates." 

The thrusters started to roar up as the _Falcon_ gained momentum toward its destination. Finn took a deep breath and prepared himself for what came next. 

* * *

The ship rocked and jumbled about as it began its descent into the planet's atmosphere. Finn and Rose strapped themselves into their seats in case of a bumpy landing. The noise of the ship and it's various parts working to keep them alive was deafening. The _Falcon_ had been through a lot recently and could definitely use some tune-up. 

Once things smoothed out and their descent became more gradual, the noise lessened. Finn shifted in his seat to look over at Rose. "You know, I never got to tell you this, but you really are one of the bravest people I know." 

Rose blushed immensely, redness spreading down her neck. "Thank you, Finn. I could say the same to you." 

Finn waved his hand. "Me? Nah. I'm a coward. You know that better than anyone. When things got tough, I tried to skip out of the problem. Twice." He looked down at his hands as shame burned in his stomach. 

"Finn." He looked up to see Rose looking at him very directly. "You are not a coward. You may have made some cowardly choices in the past, but so have most people. I was there with you on Crait, remember? I saw your bravery. And since then, you haven't hesitated to do what has been needed. Rey told me all about how you saved her and Poe on Anthan Spire. Quite the feat, Mr. Soldier." 

Now it was Finn's turn to be embarrassed. His cheeks grew hot and he looked away again for a moment. "I did what anyone would have," he mumbled. 

"Ah, a humble soldier at that," Rose laughed. 

"Thank you, Rose. You're a good friend." 

"I will gladly accept that," She said, laughing again. 

Rey's voice came through the speakers. "We'll be landing in sixty seconds. Hold on." The ship came to a near halt before making a vertical descent to the ground with barely a bump. Moments later, the four of them descended down the ramp into Ajan Kloss. 

The air was warm, but not terrible, although there was quite a bit of moisture in it. In every direction that Finn could see there was only a large open forest. An abundance of plant growth created a vibrant setting that Finn found pleasing. He could hear animals calling from higher up in the trees, probably signaling to one another that something unknown had entered their home. He thought he could hear a faint trickle of water nearby, perhaps a stream that wound its way through the trees. As far as secret bases, the could definitely do worse. 

"This place is beautiful!" Rose was ecstatically zipping about the clearing looking at different plants. 

"So, what exactly do we know about this planet?" Finn turned questioningly to Rey. Chewbacca had already started looking over the _Falcon_ and unloading gear behind them. 

"Honestly, not much." She looked at him and smiled. "But that's half the fun, isn't it?" 

"You say fun," Finn retorted, "I say may be home to a giant person-eating creature." 

"Oh, Finn! I'm sure it will be fine. Besides, Master Luke trained Leia here. At the very least, its dangers are manageable." 

"I suppose manageable is better than nothing. So what now?" 

Rey observed the trees from top to bottom, seemingly looking for something. “You and I can set up these perimeter beacons. We’ll need to mount them up high, so I guess I’ll be doing some climbing. Rose will set up the dedicated comms uplink so we can report back to the General. Chewie will see to the _Falcon_ and unload supplies.” 

Rose was over by the edge of the treeline taking a close look at a group of bright blue flowers growing on a bush. “Have you guys seen these?” She called back to them. “They’re so beautiful!” 

Finn smiled and glanced at Rey. “It’s hard not to be infected by her energy. I mean, this is kind of exciting. We’re on an uncharted planet!” 

Rey laughed. “Well, uncharted by the Empire. That doesn’t mean it’s never been charted. But yeah, I understand what you mean. When I lived on Jakku, I never even knew that places could look like this. I thought everything was just desert and space junk. Even when travelers would share their tales with me, I could never really imagine what it looked like. The only thing different I ever saw was Master Skywalker’s island in my dreams, but I never imagined it was real.” 

She got quiet for a moment and looked off toward nothing. Finn probed gently. “Are you okay?” 

She shook her head and smiled. “Yes, I’m okay. I just hope that there will be time for this one day. To find and explore. I hope that it won’t always be fighting and loss.” 

“Come here, you.” Finn swept her up in a big hug, lifting her up off of the ground. “This won’t be forever. We’ll stop the First Order. We’ll have our own lives.” 

“Thanks, Finn. I needed to hear that.” She squeezed him tightly. 

“Group hug time!” With little warning, Rose threw herself, laughing, into both of them. Finn’s soul surged with happiness to have these people in his life. 

____________________________________________________________________________

About twenty minutes later, Finn and Rey were walking cautiously through the towering trees and scanning their surroundings for movement. Finn had a pack full of perimeter beacons on his back. Rey had said since she was doing all the climbing, Finn had to carry the equipment. He didn’t mind. It was better than running around unfamiliar terrain in full stormtrooper armor.

After a little while, Rey stopped at the base of one of the trees. “This should do. We’re about half a klick out from the ship. Let me get into the pack.” 

As she rustled around looking for the equipment she needed, Finn slowly traced the tree from base to top. “Are you sure you want to climb that? It’s pretty tall.” 

“You know,” she started, zipping the pack back up and tying the device to her belt, “Before I met you, I was a junk trader. Remember those big cruisers crashed into the Jakku desert?” 

“How could I forget?” After all, they had narrowly survived flying through one in the _Falcon_ when they first met. “I thought I was going to die that day.” 

He couldn’t see her face, but he could tell by her tone that she had rolled her eyes. “We were fine. I knew we would be fine. Anyway,” she reached up to find her first handhold, “I used to climb up inside those ships looking for valuable parts.” She pulled herself up onto the tree, leaving the ground behind. “So this is just like old times.” 

Finn backed up slowly as he watched Rey climb higher up into the tree, grasping at handholds in the bark and the occasional branch growth. He felt anxiety in the pit of his stomach as he watched her ascend farther and farther. “Please be careful!” He called up to her. She didn’t respond but continued to pull herself up until she was well over halfway. 

Soon, she disappeared among the branches. Losing sight of her only increased his worry, and he began scanning his surroundings out of habit. Now would be a bad time to be surprised by something dangerous. Just as he was beginning to think he should call out to her to make sure she was okay, Rey swung down from the bottom branch and landed softly by his side and causing him to jump. 

"Miss me?" she asked, cocking an eyebrow. 

"I was just writing your eulogy," he said dryly. 

"Come on, more to get to. Let's go to the right." She set off without another word in a rounded path toward the next location. Finn was walking to catch up to her when she said back over her shoulder, "Soooooo, what's going on with you and Poe?" 

At the mention of Poe's name, Finn felt a steady warmth in his chest. He hoped Poe was ok and that he was back with the General by now. He wished that Poe was there right now in his arms so he could breathe in that spicy-sweet scent of him and hold him tight. He realized that a goofy smile had melted his lips upward and he couldn't help but feel hopeful. 

"Oh my gods! You're in love with him!" Rey was ecstatic as she looked at the expression on his face. "The second I said his name all you could see was his warm brown eyes and that cocky smile!" 

"What? No! I mean, he does have nice eyes," Finn stammered. 

"What aren't you telling me?" Rey narrowed her eyes suspiciously. 

"Nothing! Well... He told me he was falling in love with me." 

"Finn! That's amazing!" Rey practically prancing through the forest she was so excited. "And how do you feel?"

Finn thought for a moment. "That's the problem. I don't know what I feel. Or what anything is supposed to feel like. How do I know if I love him?" 

That seemed to stump Rey. "Well, I guess I don't really know. I've never felt that way about someone either. Never really had the chance to, I suppose." 

"See! That's what I'm saying. How do you describe a feeling you've never felt? And know if you're feeling it?" 

"Maybe that's how you know. Have you ever felt the way you feel about him before?" She was staring at him intently. 

"No. Definitely not. What do you think romantic love even feels like? I know that he makes me feel hopeful and that I feel safe when I'm in his arms. I know that I think about him all the time. I think about what our future could look like someday. I know he makes me feel warm inside." Finn fell silent, and neither of them said anything for a few moments. 

"I think that is love," Rey finally offered, stopping and turning to smile sweetly at him. 

"Huh. Maybe you're right." 

"I tend to be. Let me get the next beacon up. This tree should do." 

* * *

A while later, they were finally walking back toward the _Falcon_ , having completed their task at last. Finn had decidedly revised his position regarding the atmosphere on this planet.

"Why is there so much water in the air on this planet?!" Finn yelled, exasperated. "I feel like I'm swimming. I'm hot and sweaty and I'm not happy about it." 

"Yeah, I didn't notice it at first, but the humidity is quite a lot," Rey agreed. 

Ajan Kloss's sun was falling steadily toward the horizon, periodically disappearing behind clumps of trees. The sky was clear, and two of its moons had become visible high overhead. The atmosphere refracted the sun's rays into a brilliant display of reds and oranges. 

"It is rather pretty, though," She countered. 

"Not sure it makes up for it," he replied. "Although, I do wish Poe was here to see the sunset." 

"Soon enough, my friend." 

They walked in comfortable silence for a while. Finn, filled with gratitude, smiled to himself. He liked this feeling. Darkness was starting to creep toward them when the spotted the clearing up ahead. 

"Ro-ose! We're back!" Finn called out playfully through the trees. 

Instead of Rose's voice, their response was Chewbacca who loosed a panicked sounding yell, putting Finn on edge. Rey grabbed his wrist. "Something's wrong. Chewie just told us to hurry." She started running, pulling him along behind her, a reversal of their fateful meeting on Jakku. A moment later they burst into the clearing to see Rose and Chewie standing in front of the commlink. 

Rose whipped around. "Oh thank the stars you're back." Her face was manic and fearful. 

"Rose, what is it?!" Finn said forcefully. 

He felt his stomach drop as she said, "It's the General. The Resistance is in danger." 


	22. Chapter 22 -- Seeking Refuge -- Poe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe and the Resistance fight for their lives.

Poe followed General Organa into the nearest warehouse. Once his eyes adjusted to the dim interior, he spotted the Shipwright giving orders to droids. As they approached, he turned to them. 

Poe started to apologize. "I'm sorry, I tried but--" He fell silent as the Shipwright raised his hand. 

"You have done nothing wrong, Poe Dameron." He was stern in this admonishment, but not unkind. "General Organa, I took the liberty of instructing my droids to assist your people in any way they can. I made preparations long ago in case this day came." 

"No offense, sir," Poe started, "but we need a navy, and you don't have one. All the ships in the world are no good without capable pilots." 

"You are, of course, correct Poe. But the gift I have to offer you in this fight is of more value than any fleet of ships." 

Leia cleared her throat before saying, "I'm very grateful for any help you can give, but, no offense to either of you, we really need to get on with it. Poe, I'll take the ship you brought to this planet and lead our people to Ajan Kloss. You and your squadron and any additional fighters we can muster will engage the enemy while the main fleet escapes. Think of it as our flight from D'Quar with fewer casualties." That last part was delivered very pointedly with an intent look at Poe. "Shipwright, what is this preparation that you made?" 

The Shipwright smiled. "When I began assembling ships for the First Order, they were built to spec. I mostly built fighters and transport ships. I was never trusted with anything larger. After I had gained their trust somewhat, I decided to test the waters. I had an extra part installed in each new ship that was not on the blueprints I had been provided. If I needed to explain the change, I would call it an innovation. The device I built was designed to attach to the fuel lines and monitor and optimize power flow." 

"And what happened?" Poe asked, eager to know more. 

"Nothing happened. I was correct in my assumption that they had become lazy and were no longer inspecting my work closely. Either they had found it and not bothered to investigate further, or they hadn't looked in the first place. Then I modified the fuel optimizer to rapidly heat up when directed to from my system." 

Poe's jaw dropped open. "You rigged them all to blow. And made it look like you were making the ships better." 

The Shipwright nodded. "Precisely. When the signal is broadcast, the fuel optimizer in every ship will heat the fuel line to the point of combustion, and every single ship I built them after that point will be destroyed." The Twi'lek looked quite pleased with himself. 

"How many of these ships will likely be brought to this specific location?" Leia asked, an impressed look on her face. 

"I cannot say with certainty, but the ship that followed Poe to Hinari came from Grail City. Many of the ships I have built for them are in use in that region of space. It could be as many as half of their fighters." 

If possible, she looked even more impressed. "Excellent. They will likely bring a Star Destroyer and jump in with a portion of their fleet already scrambled. It's what I would do. Poe and his squadron will engage the TIE-fighters while you activate your failsafe. If we're lucky, any ships inside the Destroyer will damage it significantly." 

"Princess, err, General!" C-3PO came shuffling toward them with R2-D2 beeping and buzzing behind him. "General, R2 is receiving a transmission." 

R2 immediately displayed a holographic interface that formed into Rose's head and upper torso. She smiled broadly before saying, "General, We've established a--wait. What's wrong?" Her face fell as she noticed what was happening around them. People were rushing about transferring supplies and starting up ships while droids beeped emphatically in just about every direction. 

General Organa spoke directly to Rose. "Are you on Ajan Kloss? Is it safe?" 

"Well, yes, it seems so, but--"

"It no longer matters," Leia said firmly. "The Resistance is about to be under attack by a fleet of unknown size. We are preparing to join you there as we speak. We have a plan but be prepared to direct our ships to land and start organizing to deal with the fallout of a battle. Is that understood?" 

Rose nodded, her face serious. "Yes, General. See you soon." Her image faded away. 

Leia turned to Poe. "Get your fighters and get up there. We need to be ready. 

"Yes, General." Poe bowed his head slightly before turning and jogging back toward his X-Wing. As he started checking over the ship, his thoughts wandered a bit. He could prep an X-wing for flight in his sleep, so it was no surprise that his unoccupied mind turned to Finn. 

_When I get him alone again, nothing is interrupting us,_ he thought as he pumped fuel into the aircraft. His mind flashed back to their last encounter. It had been a little over a day, but he felt as though he hadn't seen Finn in weeks. He closed his eyes and let himself slip back into that moment, just for a few seconds. The warmth of Finn's skin, the feeling of his muscles beneath Poe's wandering fingertips, the softness of their lips meeting. _Soon. We'll be together again soon._

"Commander Dameron!" Jess came running up to him. "Poe, we're ready to go when you are." 

He nodded. "Good." Switching on his comms, he started calling out directives. BB-8 was already in the fighter running diagnostics on all systems. Finished fueling, he pulled himself up into the cockpit and strapped himself in. "Everything looking good back there, buddy?" BB-8 replied with a series of binary beeps confirming that they were good to go. 

"All fighters, this is Black Leader prepped and ready for take-off. Sound off." One by one they confirmed that they were also ready. "Copy that. Starting engines." He flipped several switches connecting power to the engines which whirred to life around him. "Black Leader is taking off. Follow and move into defense formation once you leave atmo." 

Moments later he was once again rocketing up through Hinari's atmosphere. Thick clouds had begun to gather and release flurries of snow which spiraled around his ship as sped upward. He punched through the clouds and was pleased to see that there were no enemy ships in sight, at least not yet. 

"Wing Commander Dameron, are you in position?" Leia's voice came crackling through the speaker. 

"Almost, General. The others are following behind," was his response. 

"Hold position until I say otherwise. We're receiving an incoming transmission direct to the Shipwright's system. We think it's the First Order. I'm patching you in so that you can hear." 

"Copy that, General. All fighters: achieve defensive position and hold until we receive word from the General." 

There was the sound of shuffling and then the Shipwright spoke to someone. "Admiral Foltlend. It's been a while since we spoke."

A harsh, rasping male voice responded. "You've made a terrible miscalculation, Shipwright." 

The Twi'lek laughed his musical laugh. "I haven't a clue what you're talking about, Admiral." 

"You know full well what you've done! You assaulted a First Order base, abducted your children, and now you're harboring fugitives. The First Order will not stand for such flagrant disrespect." 

Poe had a deep feeling of fear flutter in his pelvic muscles. A second later, Admiral Foltlend's ship was filling previously empty space in front of him. The last of Poe's fighters fell into position behind him as the rest of Foltlend's fleet jumped through. At least two-hundred TIE-fighters filled the space around the massive Star Destroyer. 

"General Organa, the enemy fleet has been spotted. Awaiting your orders." Poe sat anxiously, staring at the motionless navy waiting above the bright blue atmosphere of Hinari. 

"All Resistance crew are taking off from the planet's surface. If they move to attack, respond. Otherwise, wait for the Shipwright to activate his failsafe. My ship will jump last. As soon as we're clear, order all of your fighters to retreat and jump to Ajan Kloss."

"Understood, General. Is the Shipwright on your ship?" 

"Regrettably, no, he's not. He insisted on staying behind." She sounded sorrowful, knowing that remaining behind would result in his death. 

"What!? We can't just leave him behind!" Poe shouted. 

"We can and we will, Wing Commander. He has made his choice. We will honor that." The sorrow had left her voice, and she was firm once again. It wasn't a discussion. 

"I understand. All fighters: prepare for battle. Once the General is clear, we retreat. They won't have the time or opportunity to track us after the pandemonium starts." He turned his attention back to the Shipwright's banter with the First Order.

"You know, Foltlend, there was a time that I actually feared you. Not for what you might do to me, but what you might do to my children. I grew up beneath the Spire. I stopped fearing death long ago. The moment that I knew my children were safe from your murderous intent, I began to wait for your arrival. And now you've come." 

"You listen to me, you miserable criminal! Death is coming for you right now. You have no idea the destruction my fleet will rain down on you." 

"Poe," the General broke through. "Half the fleet is clear." 

"Ahh, but you see, Foltlend. I know exactly what your fleet is capable of. I built it." 

There was a pause, ever so brief, in which everything seemed to stand still. The General and the others were poised in their ships preparing to jump to lightspeed yet motionless in this second of time. Poe and the rest of the squadron were prepared with one hand on the throttle and the other on their trigger. The First Order fleet hung frozen in the space ahead. The Shipwright stood, surrounded by droids, in his factory, with his finger hovering one millimeter above a flashing button. 

Nothing moved for that one brief second. And then...

A massive wave of explosions began to ripple through the fighters. Bursts of flame, glass, and metal shrapnel spread outward, colliding with other fighters. Two points of fire gushed out into the void of space. The hangar on either side of the Star Destroyer had erupted, shredding the surrounding parts of the ship. 

"All fighters, engage enemy combatants. BB-8, punch it." Poe's squadron shot forward toward the growing destruction. Roughly a third of the fighters had exploded initially, and second by second, as Poe rapidly approached, another forty or so were annihilated from the shrapnel. "All fighters, fire at will." 

As they came close enough to damage the TIEs with their weapons, Poe began aiming and firing, quickly taking out three more ships as they struggled to regain their bearings. In his periphery, he saw other members of the squadron scoring direct hits. The enemy pilots started to take back some control, weaving away from the Destroyer to evade the Resistance's attacks. Poe had knocked out another three targets and was spinning away from a TIE on his tail when the General spoke.

Leia was terse. "Wing Commander Dameron and all remaining units, jump to hyperspace immediately." 

"Retreat and jump! All units, retreat and jump!" Poe shouted. "BB-8 calculate our jump and wait for my word." He continued dodging through the wreckage, took a hard right to slip behind the broken hull of a fighter, and fired as he came up behind his tail. He continued moving to seek a new target. He wouldn't leave until his squadron had made it through. It didn't take long until the voice of Snap Wexley came over his comms. 

"Poe!" Snap shouted. "We're the only two left. Jumping now." And then he was gone.

Poe was alone. 

"BB-8, are we ready?" The droid beeped in the affirmative. "Jump!" 

As he shouted the word jump, something unforeseen occurred. The explosions in the Star Destroyer's hangar bays had triggered other explosions within the ship, some more significant than others, but all an important stepping stone toward the fuel reserves. 

The Destroyer's mid-section ruptured entirely in a magnificent tapestry of fire and metal that expanded ever outward in a sphere. Poe felt the hook of the hyperspace jump in his stomach, felt the ship begin to pull forward as a silent missile of steel shredded through his X-wing's right fins. 

And then he was in hyperspace, smoke and sparks and fire billowing from the ruined wings, alarms sounding, BB-8 beeping and shrieking in alarm, and a relentless pounding in the front of his head. The jolt of the impact and the pull of the jump had slammed him forward, bashing his head off of the console and cutting open the skin. He could feel himself losing consciousness but he struggled to stay awake. 

The siren faded. And then he bolted awake, before slipping back into unconsciousness. Over and over, for an unknown period of time, he struggled to stay awake, finally regaining a clear enough cognition to cut power to the damaged wings and wipe the blood from his face. And then they dropped out above Ajan Kloss. 

It was suspended hugely in front of him, a massive field of green that his ruined ship was hurtling toward. He pulled back on the throttle trying to slow his descent. The ship spun wildly, unable to keep an even keel without the missing wings. He entered the atmosphere, struggling to level out the ship as it slid rapidly downward. He could see the trees now. He tried to gently provide bursts of power to his remaining thrusters in order to control the orientation of the ship. The trees grew closer and larger, and he feared a direct collision was about to be the inevitable end of his life. Then the trees disappeared, and an endless grassland appeared before him. He started to feel slightly better at his chances of survival, but only slightly

In the few seconds he had left before impact, he thought of Finn. _I'm sorry. I'll see you soon._

His ship collided with the ground, bouncing twice before it slid along the ground, digging into the soil. With a jolt, having dug itself far enough into the ground, it stopped. Poe felt himself all over, trying to assess further injuries. 

"BB-8? You good, buddy?"

He was greeted with a frantic yet optimistic burst of beeping. 

He relaxed into his seat. "I can't believe we're alive." 

And as a piercing pain stabbed into his head, it pushed him down to the dark of unconsciousness. 


	23. Chapter 23 -- A Thing Called Fear -- Finn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn and the others deal with the fallout from the battle above Hinari.

Finn would never fully remember what happened in those moments. There were feelings of love and family as he walked with Rey in the forests of Ajan Kloss, and then there was Rose’s panicked voice calling through the trees. As soon as he heard her say that the Resistance was in danger, fear clawed into his chest and wrapped itself around his heart. All he could think was that Poe’s safety was threatened by an unknown source. 

Ships began dropping out of hyperspace above the planet’s atmosphere. Larger vessels remained in orbit while smaller transports began bringing people to the surface, guided by the beacon that Chewie had activated in the _Falcon._ It was all a blur of motion and light to Finn as he searched the faces of those exiting the ships while the fear constricted his heart tightly, reminding him that it was still there waiting to consume him. 

Finally, the _General’s Hope_ appeared, descending slowly into the clearing. As General Organa walked swiftly down the ramp, she called out directives to those around her. Finn met her eyes, and her expression softened. 

Once she got closer to Finn, she said, “The fighters will be following through any moment now. I’m sure Poe will bring up the rear like always. He won’t evacuate until his crew is safe.” 

He nodded, unable to form words. She placed a hand on his shoulder before moving on. He wandered back over toward Rose and the comm-link. She looked up at his approach, worry instantly knitting her brow as she saw the state he was in. She moved to him, wrapping him up into a tight hug. “He’ll be ok.” 

There was a sharp burst of static from the comms before Snap Wexley came through. “Mayday! Mayday! We have a situation! Does anyone read me? Over.” 

Rose turned and yelled, “General! Come quick!” before responding through the comms. “This is Rose Tico, I read you, Snap. What’s wrong?” 

“Something must have happened when we jumped. Poe just dropped out right behind me. The wings on his fighter are shredded, and he’s falling fast toward the surface. Inform the General immediately. I’m following him down.”

Finn found himself unable to speak through the growing lump in his throat as the fear ripped his heart to shreds inside his chest. He looked around bewildered as the General approached. Rose was behind him yelling into the comms, trying to get more information from Snap. Lieutenant Connix was checking off supplies from an inventory over by the _General's Hope_. He saw Rey rushing about in the background, helping people set up and directing people to locations. She stopped in her tracks and looked directly at Finn, sensing that something was wrong. 

General Organa approached, looking to Rose. "What is it? What's wrong?" 

Desperation filled her voice as she responded. "Temmin Wexley just informed us that something happened to Commander Dameron's ship. He said the wings are shredded, and Poe's falling fast." 

"General! Rose!" Snap was back, his voice grainy through the speaker. "I can't do anything for him, but we might have a chance. He's going to crash in an open field. If anyone can survive this, Poe can." 

Something was trying to pry its way out of the fear surrounding his heart that he almost didn't recognize: hope. Suddenly, he found his voice. "Captain Wexley, send us your location." Rose and Leia looked at him in surprise. He continued. "General, we need a transport ship to that location immediately as well as a medic to accompany us." His voice was terse, but there was an element of pleading and fear twisted through his words. 

General Organa nodded. "Very well. Captain Wexley, provide us with the location. Rose, find Racht and tell him to go with Finn. Finn, get Rey, and take her with you. Take the _Hope_. Bring him back." 

"Yes, General," Finn and Rose said in unison, bowing before running off to their respective tasks. 

When he got to Rey, she looked like she was waiting for him. "Something's wrong, isn't it? Is Poe okay?" She asked. 

"I don't know yet. His ship was damaged, and he just crashed to the surface. The General is sending us to retrieve him." 

Rey nodded. "Right, let's go then." 

As they approached the ship, Rose headed directly toward them with a Sullestan in tow. "This is Racht. He patched me up real good after Crait. He's a sweetheart." Racht looked embarrassed and shifted uncomfortably, unsure what to say. He carried a large case in his left hand, no doubt full of medical supplies. 

Finn held his hand out to shake. "It's nice to meet you. We need to leave right now." Racht and Rey went up into the ship, but Rose grabbed Finn's hand and held him back. 

"Do you want me to come with you?" Genuine concern was evident in her demeanor and words, but Finn shook his head. 

"I appreciate it, but the General needs you here. We'll be back soon." He gave her a quick hug. "Thank you." 

* * *

After Snap had sent them the coordinates, they quickly took off. The ship was quiet beyond the sound of its engines and thrusters. Finn sat in the cockpit with Rey. Racht had opted to wait back in the bridge. All he could think was that it was taking too long to get there. 

The sun was long gone by this point. Ajan Kloss had rotated away from its celestial warmth and light, and a deep velvety darkness had fallen across the planet. Whatever its three moons were comprised of, it seemed to absorb light more than reflect it. The moons seemed to hang ominously in the sky, glowing a dim light that didn't illuminate much. The trees below were too dark to make out. 

A few minutes later, Rey broke the silence. "We're here." The ship descended downward, the landing lights revealing a windswept grassland below. The landing was soft, and, once powered-down, the noise of the ship gave way to the sound of wind rushing around the metal form. Rey went to fetch some lights so they could find their way through the darkness.

Finn tried the comms. "Snap, do you read me? We just landed. Over." 

"I hear ya. I can see you guys from here. I'm with Poe now. He's alive, but I can't get him to wake up. BB-8 is a little banged up, but he's okay."

The joy of hearing that Poe was alive was quickly snatched down by the fear. Snap couldn't wake him up. "Okay, we're, uh..." Finn stopped, trying to control the quiver in his voice. "We're coming to you. Hang tight." 

"Copy that. I'll blink my light toward you. Take it slow. The terrain isn't as smooth as it looks." 

Finn grabbed the other two and headed down into the inky blackness, clicking his light on as he walked. He could see Snap's signal light over to their right, and, remember his missive to mind the terrain, Finn carefully started to pick his way across the field. Rey and Racht followed silently behind him. The only sound was their footsteps and the wind rushing through the grass, rustling and whistling with their undulations. 

The fear stretched a clawed hand up through his neck to scratch at his brain, but he beat it back down. He didn't have time to be afraid. He needed to be focused so that he could help Poe. The only place he couldn't eradicate it from was its nest in his heart. He couldn't get rid of that until he knew Poe would be okay. 

As the wind pushed against them, Finn's imagination started to run wild with might be hiding in the dark. It was impossible to hear much beyond the sound of the air rushing through the grass, and the constant sound would effectively mask the sound of an approaching threat. So far, they hadn't run into any dangerous creatures on Ajan Kloss, but Finn knew that every environment had its predators. If something was watching them from the darkness, would it choose to attack or silently watch? They were adrift in the darkness of the field, hovering between two points of light. Above them, the stars were brilliantly arranged, stretching infinitely in all directions. This gave him some comfort. 

It didn't take long before they came up behind the damaged fighter. Finn felt sick looking at the twisted and burned metal that jutted from the right side of the ship. Whatever had done this could have easily killed Poe instantly if it had been a few feet to the left. BB-8 started beeping excitedly as they approached. 

Snap spoke up. "Thank the gods you're here. We need to get him out of this ship. He won't wake up. I don't know what's wrong, but it looks like he hit his head pretty good." 

Without a word, Finn rushed to the cockpit. "Poe! Poe, wake-up! It's me, Finn!" His stomach lurched as he saw how much blood covered his head and face, but he could see that he was breathing. He felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Rey standing behind him. 

"Finn, let Racht have a look at him. Why don't you and Snap help BB-8 out of the ship." He nodded and backed away so the Sullestan medic could assess Poe's injuries. 

Finn climbed up onto the ship and held out a hand to Snap to help him up. Together, they lifted BB-8 up out of the astromech socket. The droid buzzed and beeped happily as it rolled to the ground, pleased to be free of the wreckage. Finn and Snap hopped down off of the ship and waited for Racht to speak. 

Finally, the medic turned to them. "It looks like he's largely okay, but he did sustain a serious head wound, probably from being thrown around in the cockpit by whatever did this." He gestured toward the twisted remnants of the wings. "He likely had a concussion, which is why he can't regain consciousness. As far as I can tell, he doesn't have any other injuries, so we can move him. We need to get him up out of here and back to base. Captain Wexley, Finn, can you lift him out? Be careful not to jostle him too much." 

The two men moved forward toward Poe. Finn climbed up behind the cockpit and grabbed Poe from under his arms while Snap grabbed his waist and pushed up. They carefully got him up out of the cockpit and down onto the cloth stretcher that Racht had set out. Finn handed Rey his light, and she led the way back to the _General's Hope_ as Finn and Snap carried Poe in the stretcher. 

"You know," Snap started, slightly winded from the effort, "He said your name a few times while I was waiting. That and 'I'm sorry.'" Finn didn't know how to respond to this, so Snap continued. "It's none of my business if something is going on between you two. I've known Poe Dameron for a long time. He doesn't let just anyone in. I can tell that you care about him." 

"I do care about him. More than I can understand," Finn replied. 

"Good. I guess, I just want to say that, I think you're a good man, Finn. I know you'll take care of him." 

The rest of their walk was without conversation. They got back to the ship and strapped Poe in on an alcove cot. Snap departed to fly his fighter back to the base, and Rey got the _Hope_ up into the air. Finn watched silently as Racht cleaned the wound on Poe's head and wound it tightly with bandages as he desperately hoped that Poe would be ok. 

* * *

When they got back to their new base, Racht set to work making sure Poe didn't have any lasting damage. Rey offered to stay with Finn, but he told her she should probably check-in with the General. He sat and worried as the medic scanned Poe's head, injected him with fluids and medicine, and consulted his holo-texts. Eventually, General Organa came up into the ship to see what was going. 

She gave Finn a warm look before questioning the Sullestan. "What's the diagnosis? Is my Wing Commander going to make it?" 

Racht put his tools down and turned toward her and Finn. "He sustained a significant head wound on the front of his skull. I've stitched it shut, and it should heal fine. His brain, however, took a bit of a beating from the blow. He's got a severe concussion. Overall, he'll be fine. Right now, he needs rest and medicine to help him heal. He's pretty lucky that the head wound is all he made it out with." 

Finn cleared his throat. "Why isn't he waking up?"

"The short answer? His body is keeping him unconscious so that he can heal more quickly. He'll wake up when he's ready to. I have every confidence that he'll make a full recovery with no lasting damage. I would advise that someone stay with--"

"I'll stay with him," Finn interrupted. 

Racht looked to the General who nodded her consent. "Very well. I'll check back in a little while. If he wakes up, come fetch me. He should stay here for now. Once we get a sufficient medical station set up, we can move him if he's still out." 

General Organa nodded her head at him. "Thank you, Racht. Go get some rest." The medic gathered is things and departed. "You should also get some rest, Finn." 

"I'm fine," he replied, stone-faced. 

"I suspect you're not, but I won't argue. If not for yourself, get some rest for him. You're no good to him or anyone else if you're too exhausted to think straight." Without another word, she left him. 

For a long while, he sat across the room and watched Poe breathe gently. His face was calm, and he seemed relaxed. Finn's mind spun away into a thousand avenues of anxiety as he sat there, waiting for he didn't know what. What if he never woke up? What if Racht was wrong and something more serious was killing him? What if, what if, what if. After some time, he dragged a chair over next to Poe. 

"I'll be right here for you," He told the motionless pilot. He leaned over and kissed him lightly on the forehead, lingering just a second to breathe in his scent. He sat back in the chair, propped his feet up on the end of the cot, and continued his watch. 

Inevitably, his exhaustion got the better of him. His mind turned to torturous dreams. Fighters exploded in the sky above him before crashing to the ground. He found himself back in that dark field, the wind whipping around him and howling through the grass. He could hear Poe yelling his name, but he couldn't find him. There was no light, and the sound seemed to come from everywhere. 

He stumbled through the field, tripping and falling on the uneven ground, but every time getting back up to continue his search. Finally, he came upon the wreckage of a ship. Poe's calls for help became frantic, and he screamed for Finn. He rushed around the side of the ship to find the cockpit empty with giant claw marks torn through the metal. He recognized those claw marks. They matched the razor-sharp claws of the fear that had wound its way into his heart. 

Something grabbed his hand. 

"Poe!" He yelled, jolting awake. The first thing he realized was that sunlight was streaming in through the doorway to the cockpit. The second thing he realized was that Poe was awake as well. 


	24. Chapter 24 -- A Thing Called Fear -- Poe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe deals with injuries both physical and mental.

Poe opened his eyes. 

He was lying on his back aboard the _General's Hope_ , a light blanket covering him. Warm light was filtering in through the cockpit windows and sending long shadows through the room. Finn was fast asleep in a chair to his left, twitching and mumbling. His head felt like a big ball of fluff other than the dull ache at the front of his skull. 

He closed his eyes again, retreating into the darkness, and tried to remember what had happened. Hinari. The Shipwright. The Star Destroyer. The shrapnel that ruined his ship and sent him spiraling through hyperspace. It all floated up to him from the depths of his mind. He opened his eyes again and tried to lift his head, but this caused searing pain to shoot through his skull. 

_Ok, maybe it's a little early to be getting up._

He turned his attention to Finn sleeping restlessly beside him. He watched his eyes shifting beneath the lids and his lips moving and felt tears welling up in his own eyes. He had come close to death, so close to missing out on a life with this beautiful man in front of him. The tears in his eyes spilled over and ran down the sides of his face, and he closed them again, crying silently as he processed what he had been through. 

A piercing pain shot through the center of his skull intermittently as he relived the crash into Ajan Kloss's soil. His entire body ached, and he felt stiff all over. He had come perilously close to death, and that encounter hadn't been without consequences. At least he was alive and the rest would heal in time. At least he still had time to be with Finn. 

He opened his eyes again when he heard Finn shuffling around more. His gentle face was shaped by distress, and his mumblings had become louder. It seemed that he was having a nightmare. He became gradually more upset, but he didn't wake. 

Poe tried his voice, but all that came out was a whispered, "Finn..." He tried to clear his throat to become louder, managing to put some bass into his voice to say a bit more firmly, "Finn." 

But Finn still didn't wake, his growing distress becoming more obvious and intense. Poe slowly stretched his left arm out and grasped Finn's hand, giving it a firm squeeze as he said his name one more time. Finn jolted upright, looking toward the glowing sunlight before turning to see Poe staring intently at him. 

"Poe!" Finn jumped up out of the chair and knelt beside the wounded pilot. "How do you feel? I was so worried! Are you ok?" 

"I'm fine. I think. I feel like I was dropped into a garbage crusher, but I'm fine." He said wearily. 

Finn got silent and just looked at him for a moment. "I thought I had lost you." Poe could see the tears forming in his eyes and felt his own getting wet. 

"I thought I was going to be lost. But I'm here."

Finn leaned forward and kissed him delicately on the lips. "I better go get Racht and tell him you're awake. I'll be right back." He got to his feet and left the ship to find the medic. It wasn't long before he was back with the Sullestan in tow. 

Racht set to work while firing questions at him. "How do you feel? Describe the pain in your head. What do you remember? Do you feel pain anywhere else?" He shined lights in his eyes, checked his reflexes, and cleaned the wound on his head before applying a fresh bandage. "I'm going to give you some meds for the pain, but you need to be careful moving around. You'll probably be off-balance for a day or two. Do you have an appetite?" 

Poe tried to ignore all his other pain and see if he felt hungry. "Yeah, I could probably eat." 

"Good. You need food and water so your body has fuel to heal. Don't be surprised if you find bruising on your body. You're lucky to have survived such an event with as little damage as you have. I suppose the ship took the brunt of it." After making sure that he didn't need anything else, Racht gathered his things and went, advising them to get him right away if anything changed. 

"We don't have much of a Resistance, but at least we have a good medic," Poe said, somewhat dryly. "Can you help me sit up?" Finn helped him lift himself up so that his back rested against the hull of the ship and his feet hung over the edge of the cot. Finn sat beside him. Poe reached over and intertwined his fingers through Finn's, bringing his hand up to kiss it. 

They sat there like that for a long while, hand in hand, comforted by the other's presence. Finn rested his head on Poe's shoulder, and Poe rested his head on Finn's. Poe turned to the side and kissed Finn softly on the top of his head. "Thank you for taking care of me." 

"I'll always take care of you," Finn said quietly. 

He must have nodded off because the next thing he knew someone was knocking lightly on the door frame. Sleep still had its hold on him because he had only a hazy memory of Rose talking to Finn before he was pulled back down through the layers of consciousness. The next time he opened his eyes, there were once again long shadows cast by the light from the cockpit window. The day had sped past, and the sun was now setting on Ajan Kloss. 

Finn was sitting at the table reading over a holo-file, not noticing that Poe was awake. "Mmmmwhat time is it?" Poe mumbled. 

Finn pushed his file aside and turned toward Poe. "Hey, you're awake again. It's dusk. You've slept most of the day. How are you feeling?" 

Poe did a quick inventory of his body before responding. "Uhh, I feel like I crashed a ship into the ground. Was Rose here or was that a dream?" 

Finn chuckled. "She was here. She brought some food. And Rey stopped by. And the General. Even Chewbacca showed up, though I've no idea what he said. Racht stopped by as well. He said it was good that you were sleeping and to let you be, but try to get some food in you. Are you hungry?" 

Poe's stomach was a yawning chasm. The last thing he had eaten had been a pastry on Hinari yesterday morning. "I'm famished." 

Finn smiled his big beautiful smile and came over to help Poe sit up. He brought a tray of food over and steadied it on Poe's lap before Poe started tearing into it. It was only standard military rations, but it was better than nothing. 

Finn sat back and watched him eat, a look of contentment on his face. "I know you probably don't feel better, but seeing you eat again certainly makes me feel better." 

"Yeah, my entire body still hurts, but at least I'm hungry. So what's going on with the Resistance? Have I missed anything?" 

Finn rolled his eyes with a smirk. "Not really. Everyone is just getting settled in and set up. They've been keeping a close watch on all scans and communications but, so far, it seems we've made it here untracked." 

"Finally, some good news," Poe said, finishing up. 

A voice came from the doorway. "I hope I'm not interrupting. Ah, good, you're eating." Racht came in and set his supplies down. "Meds and check-up time." Finn went to sit back down at the table while Racht gave Poe a once-over. He administered medication, cleaned the wound on Poe's head, and shined more lights in his eyes. 

"Well, it seems that you're recovering nicely. Tomorrow, we should get you up moving a bit, but you'll still need a lot of rest in the next few days. We have a moment to breathe, it seems, so don't skimp on the recovery while we have the chance. Any questions before I go?" 

"Yeah, can I get a shower? I'm pretty filthy from three straight space battles and a collision." 

"I would suggest you just wash up for now. Standing for a period of time might be difficult unless you have help..." 

"I can help him," Finn offered. 

The Sullestan nodded. "Then it shouldn't be an issue. Just be careful. Don't push yourself too quickly." He gathered his things and departed. 

Poe cocked an eyebrow. "I hope you're not trying to take advantage of a poor injured pilot." 

Finn rolled his eyes again. "Come on." 

The _General's Hope_ had a small shower fed by cleaned and recycled water, which would then of course be cleaned and recycled again. Finn helped Poe walk slowly to the small bathroom aboard the ship and shut and locked the door behind them. Poe leaned against the edge of the sink while Finn turned the water on and got it to a decent temperature. It wasn't much of a shower, but the water got very hot from the ship's various systems.

Poe tried to lift his shirt to his head but felt too weak to pull it up and over. "Finn?" Without a word, Finn slipped Poe's shirt off and began to unbuckle his pants. He crouched down to slide them down Poe's legs and off one foot at a time, but he hesitated when it came time to remove Poe's boxers. Finn stood and, looking Poe directly in the eyes, removed his own shirt and pants, leaving them both standing there in their underwear and eyeing each other up.

Poe smirked as his eyes ran down Finn's muscular body taking in the physique of the man he loved, pausing for a moment at the prominent bulge in his boxers. "I have to say, this is not how I imagined I'd be getting you naked." Finn looked down at the floor, seemingly embarrassed. "Hey. Come here." Poe held out his hand and Finn took it, allowing himself to be pulled up against Poe.

Poe wrapped his arms around him tightly and buried his face in Finn's neck. Finn's skin felt so warm, and he wanted to melt into the other man so that they would never be apart again. He could feel Finn's broad chest expand and contract with his breath. 

Finn started to shake slightly, and Poe could tell that he was crying. "I was so scared. I don't know what I would have done if I had lost you."

Poe felt a rush of emotion and his eyes got wet too. "Hey, shhh, it's ok. We're here. We're together." They stood like that, each clinging to the other as tightly as they could, both giving in to the emotions and fear of their potential loss. Poe had never felt closer to anyone in his entire life. 

Eventually, Finn removed first his and then Poe's boxers before helping him shuffle into the shower, letting the hot trickle of water pour down their bodies. He lathered up a cloth with soap and began washing Poe from head to foot. The moment was remarkably intimate but not sexual. Instead, Poe felt an overflowing warmth of love for this man. 

Finn lathered himself up as well before coming back up to look into Poe's eyes while the water washed the soap down the contours of their muscled bodies. He held his hand up and placed his palm firmly against Poe's chest, above where his heart was. Poe repeated this gesture unsure of where this moment would lead them. 

Finn looked directly into Poe's eyes, unwavering in his focus. "I love you." He said strongly, without a hint of doubt in his voice. 

"And I love you," Poe responded and hope and love and warmth surged throughout his body. 

Finn leaned forward to kiss him, gently but passionately. Poe reached his arms around him and pulled him close, their soapy wet skin sliding against each other. Their grief and fear and sadness funneled itself into a singular passion that bonded them together within this moment. Finn rubbed and massaged Poe's muscled chest. Their kiss deepened, tongues colliding and exploring, and Poe could feel his dick stiffen. He could feel Finn hardening against him as well, and he let his hands slide down to grab and squeeze Finn's ass and pull the other man up against him. 

Pleasure soared through him as his dick slid up against Finn's stomach and Finn's slid up against his. Finn pulled his head back and let out a low moan, eyes locked with Poe's as they pushed against each other, giving pleasure to themselves and to one another. Poe leaned back against the wall of the shower as he grabbed Finn's hand and slid it down to his dick. 

Finn didn't hesitate now and grabbed Poe's cock firmly in his hand, sliding it up and down. Without breaking eye contact, Poe reached down and grabbed Finn's large girth gasping slightly with surprise at how thick it felt. Like Finn, he slid his hand up and down the pulsing cock, enjoying the feeling of the smooth head and the moans of pleasure that he elicited in Finn. They sped up their motion, still staring deep into each other's eyes and they sent waves of pleasure and joy through each other.

Finn started to moan harder, and Poe knew he was close. Poe let himself get close too, starting to pant with anticipation of the moment. The hot water sprayed down their heaving bodies as they brought each other ever closer to climax. 

Poe lifted his other hand up to cup the side of Finn's face. "I love you." 

Finn smiled. "And I love you." 

Finn let out an intense moan as his cock exploded, shooting cum all up over Poe's chest and abs. He let himself go at the feeling of Finn squeezing his cock and shot up onto Finn as well, painting his abs with milky fluid. They both continued the motion of their hands, now slowing as the pleasure intensified and began to fade.

Poe fell against Finn's strong body. Finn held him tightly, both catching their breath. Finn leaned down, and Poe could feel his lips whisper against his ear, "And I always will." 


	25. Chapter 25 -- Planning for Peace -- Finn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finn and Poe explore new dimensions in their relationship.

"How are you feeling? Are you tired? Do you need to rest?" 

"Finn, I'm fine. I'll let you know," Poe chuckled. 

Finn let out a big sigh. "Sorry, I'm just worried." He hovered anxiously by Poe's side as they slowly walked through the forest surrounding the new base. This was the first exercise that Poe was getting since his accident, and Finn was endlessly worried that something was going to go wrong. 

"I know you're worried, and I appreciate that concern, but Racht said this was fine. Nothing is going to happen to me on a walk," Poe replied patiently, but not unkindly. "Medically speaking, I'm recovering fine." a

Finn thought for a moment, looking for a hole in the logic, but he couldn't identify any. "Okay, fine, I know. Sorry. I guess I need to keep my own anxiety in order." 

Poe glanced over at him and smiled. "It's ok. Don't beat yourself up about it. I know it's because you care." 

They walked in silence for a little while, moving slowly through the trees as Poe worked the stiffness out of his body. In the quiet, Finn thought about the previous night in the shower. He had never experienced anything like that before, and he was still working to process the whole thing. Afterward, they had cleaned up and Finn had gotten Poe back in bed to rest after the exertion. They hadn't specifically talked about it since then. 

He looked over at Poe as they walked and remembered their bodies, devoid of clothing, pressed tightly against each other, soapy and wet. He thought about the feeling of Poe's hand on his erection, of the pleasure that they had given each other, of the connection that he had felt. He realized that he was stiffening in his pants, and, embarrassed, turned his thoughts to their surroundings to distract himself. 

Eventually, they came to a shallow but quickly-moving stream that cut through their path. The banks were raised up around it, and Finn helped Poe settle down so that they could sit and enjoy the water. For a while, the only sounds were the rushing of the water, the groaning of the trees swaying in the wind, and the various chirps and yells of the local fauna. 

Finn took a deep breath of the fresh Ajan Kloss air, closed his eyes, and steadied himself. They were in this moment right now. No fighting was happening around them. No First Order ships were bearing down on them. For this one moment, he and Poe were safe and calm together. His mind and body settled more with each breath, just as it had been trained to do. 

He reached over and took Poe's hand, lacing their fingers together and giving it a slight squeeze. He turned to glance at Poe who was staring at him with an amazed look. Finn, felt his face get hot and he looked down at the stream. 

"Hey now," Poe said, "I was looking at the most beautiful man in the galaxy. Where did he go?" 

Finn looked back up, unable to control the smile that turned up the corners of his mouth. They looked at each other for a moment before Poe leaned in and kissed him softly. Finn continued the kiss and their gentle passion found them lost in each other, lips meeting lips, fingers tracing faces, and a shared sense of hope growing within them both. 

A while later, they still sat on the bank of the stream, but Poe was laying so that his head was in Finn's lap. Finn absent-mindedly twirled his fingers through Poe's as he looked off into the forest. Finn felt an unwanted thought bubble up in his mind, and before he could stop himself he was asking, "Do you ever worry that we'll never find peace?" 

Poe thought about it for a moment before responding. "Sometimes, I guess. Sometimes, when things look bad I worry that we've reached an unfortunate end. But then I look around at all of the amazing people who have dedicated themselves to stopping the First Order, and I can't help but think that we'll be alright." He paused. "I also think about how big this galaxy is and how many people live in it. If we could get more people to fight, the First Order wouldn't stand a chance." 

Finn smiled and leaned down to kiss Poe's head. "Good answer." 

"You know, my parents were kind of like us. They fought in the old Resistance against the Empire. They probably had these same conversations, unsure if there would ever be peace. But they found that peace, and they made a life, and raised a fabulous child if I do say so myself." 

Finn rolled his eyes. "Ahh, yes. Poe Dameron, the greatest gift the galaxy has ever seen." 

"Damn straight!" He said, laughing. 

"I better get the medic," Finn said drolly, "I think your head is expanding." 

Poe pushed himself up to a sitting position and brought a hand up and patted his head. "Nope, feels perfect to me."

"I don't know about the size of your head, but that face is pretty perfect," Finn said with a smile. 

Finn leaned in and soon they were once again drifting away on their passion and joy. 

* * *

The sun had started to slip down between the trees by the time they decided head back to base. Long columns of shadow cut across their path and the sky became a vibrant combination of reds and purples. They walked hand in hand, each comfortable in the other's presence. 

Poe broke the silence. "What do you want to do after all of this is over?" 

"Well," Finn started, "I don't know. I haven't really thought about it." 

"You have time to think about it now," Poe responded gently. 

"Apparently you've been thinking about it, so why don't you tell me your idea?" 

"It doesn't matter, as long as I'm with you," Poe said simply. 

Finn felt his face get hot again. "That's a cheat answer!" he accused playfully. 

"Yeah, but it's true. I just want to spend my life with you, Finn. The details don't matter." 

Warmth bubbled up in Finn's stomach and he felt his mouth lift into a smile. He thought for a moment. "I suppose, I want to explore some. When I used to look up at the stars I would imagine all of the worlds that I might find out there and what they would look like." 

"Okay," Poe said, "We vanquish the first order and then we explore. Next?" 

"Why do I feel like I'm doing all the work here?" Finn queried. 

"I have no idea what you mean," Poe replied. 

Yet again, Finn rolled his eyes. "You're lucky I love you." 

Poe smiled softly. "Luckier than I ever thought I could be." 

Finn kissed him on the cheek. "I suppose eventually we should settle down somewhere. Maybe find a way to help other people. I don't know; that's all so far away." 

"Alright, I'll let you off with that," Poe said. "First, we explore. Then, we settle and help the people of the galaxy. And somewhere in there we adopt several children." 

"Several?!" Finn exclaimed. "I think we need to talk about one before we discuss several." 

"Okay, fine, we adopt one child to start. Then we spend the rest of our days happily in love." 

"That sounds like a pretty good life to me," Finn said quietly. 

Poe squeezed his hand, and they continued on their way back. About ten minutes later, they arrived at the edge of the established base. The first person they saw was Rose working at a communication console, so they headed toward her. 

"Hey, you two. How are you feeling Poe? You look better," She said, face glowing with enthusiasm as always. 

"Still slightly off-balance, but much better, thanks," he responded gratefully. 

"I'm really glad to hear that," she smiled and sent a sideways glance at Finn. "I'm sure you're ready to stop sleeping on the ship, so I had a tent prepared for you. For the both of you, if that wasn't too presumptuous?" 

Finn looked at Poe who smiled like he'd been caught doing something. "That's great, actually. Thank you, Rose." 

She led them to their tent and told them that she would have someone bring some food. "And Racht was looking for you as well, so I'll send him your way when I see him." 

They walked inside and looked at the two separate cots. They glanced at each other and, laughing, slid the cots together so that they formed one bigger bed. Food was brought. Racht came and went, pleased with Poe's recovery. 

Soon, night had fallen and darkness overtook the camp. A small lantern lit the inside of their tent with a gentle glow as they prepared for bed. Finn stripped down to his underwear before helping Poe do the same, and they climbed into bed. They lay there for a long while, holding one another, kissing and touching, laughing and loving. 

Finn looked deeply into Poe's eyes, his heart rising up into his mouth. "I love you." 

Poe returned his gaze. "And I love you." 

And soon they drifted off to sleep, wrapped up in each other to dream of a future of peace. 


	26. Chapter 26 -- Planning for Peace -- Poe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Poe starts to get restless at the lack of movement in the Resistance camp.

"Wing Commander Dameron, it's good to see you alive," Connix said with a smirk. 

"Well, Lieutenant, I knew you would miss me too much if I died, so I decided to stick around," Poe replied, not missing a beat. It felt good to feel quick again, to get back in his old groove. It had been a week since his injury, and he was more than ready to get back to it. 

"My only concern is that without your constantly inflating ego nothing would keep the fighter crew afloat," came her response, sharp as ever. "Anyway, is there something I could help you with?" 

"Yeah, is the General in?" He asked. 

"She is." She didn't move. 

"Well, then can I see her?" He tried not to sound frustrated. 

"She's busy, but I can tell her you came by." 

Poe let out a long sigh. "C'mon, Connix, I'm ready to get off this rock and do something useful." 

Her eyes softened somewhat. "I'm sure you are, but we both know what she's going to say." 

"Yeah, yeah," He said. "'Come back when Racht clears you for flight.' But I _am_ ready. He's going to say today that I'm good to go. Probably. Most likely." 

She smiled. "And when he does, I'm sure she'll be happy to discuss what comes next with you. Between you and me, she's got plans for you. But you need medical clearance first." 

"Fiiiiine. I'll be back. Thanks for nothing, Lieutenant," he said with a sarcastic salute. 

"Always a pleasure!" She called to his back as he walked away. 

He went looking for Racht but was told that he was doing medical inventory on the ships. Feeling defeated, he decided to walk around the perimeter of the camp a few times to let out some pent-up energy. He felt so useless. Finn was off doing something with Rey, so he couldn't even go talk to either of them. Eventually, he wandered through the camp listlessly, not really paying attention to where he was. 

"Hey! Poe! Come here for a second." He heard a tense but cheerful voice call out to him from somewhere. He whipped his head around trying to locate the source but couldn't seem to identify who the voice belonged to. "I'm under here!" the voice called again. 

He realized that there was someone half underneath a complicated-looking tank system with only their legs sticking out. "Uhh, hi?" He called out questioningly as he wandered closer. "Who is that?" 

The person slid themselves forward so that he could see the face and realize that it was Rose. "It's a space angel. Who do you think? Hand me that socket, would you?" Without another word, she slid herself back underneath. 

Poe glanced around and spotted the socket in question sitting amongst a pile of tools on a nearby table. He grabbed the surprisingly heavy tool and held it underneath the machinery so that Rose could reach it. "Well, there you go. I'll see you--" 

"Not so fast, flyboy. I need help and here you are." Rose had a way of saying things that wasn't forceful but also left little room for debate. 

"Uh, I'm sure someone else can help you. I was just--" 

"Moping around until you get cleared for flight, yeah, I know. How about you just help me fix this filtration system instead and make yourself useful?" 

Poe couldn't really argue with that. He _hadn't_ been doing anything useful, and he _was_ just moping around. Besides, maybe it would help pass the time. They worked together for a while in near silence, both only speaking when their task required it. Poe didn't really know what Rose was doing, but it was easy enough for him to get her parts and tools. 

As they worked, he thought about how upbeat she always seemed. It was like nothing ever knocked her down. He understood keeping a brave face when times were tough, but this was something different. They fixed the filtration system and moved on to their next task. Poe knew better than to argue with her at this point, so he continued to assist her as they tuned up various machines around the camp, fixed up a broken droid, and put together a new communication array. The work was simple, but it kept his mind and his hands busy. 

Before he realized it, the day was coming to a close. The light was beginning to fade as the moon rotated away from its source of heat and light. Poe noticed that his stomach was growling, and he thought wistfully of something better than military rations. Rose finished wrapping a pipe with insulating tape and turned to him. 

"I think it's time we call it a day. Hungry?" She asked. 

"Yes please!" Poe practically shouted. "I'm starved." 

Soon he was stuffing his face with an indescribable food substance. They sat across from each other, eating in silence until--" 

"Can I ask you a question?" Poe said between mouthfuls. 

"Sure thing, flyboy." Rose replied, winking at him. 

"Flyboy? C'mon..." She looked at him pointedly. "Alright fine. How do you always stay so darn cheerful?" 

Rose dissolved into laughter, unable to keep her composure. Poe looked at her concernedly, then glanced around to see if anyone else noticed that she was having a fit. She finally came up for air, patting her chest a couple of times. 

"Do you really think that I'm always in a good mood?" She queried, eyeing him skeptically. 

"Well, I mean, yes. You seem like it anyway." He was a bit flustered at her reaction. 

"All I can really say is that it beats the alternative. Why be miserable when you can be optimistic." 

"What do you mean?" 

She countered with her own question. "How does my enthusiasm make you feel?" 

He thought about it for a moment while she resumed her eating. "I guess I would say that I like it. I usually feel slightly better after talking to you about something, even though we don't really talk that much." 

"Then there's your answer." She didn't miss a beat. 

"You're cheerful because it makes people feel good?" 

She shook her head. "I'm cheerful because it makes ME feel good. If other people also feel good, that's just a bonus. I could mope around and be unhappy all the time, _or_ I can choose to be optimistic and enthusiastic." 

"Huh. Okay. That makes sense." He chewed quietly for a moment. 

"Okay," she started, "my turn. Why are you so desperate to get back into the cockpit?" 

He didn't hesitate. "Because I feel useless. I can't do anything helpful down here on the ground." 

Rose reached across the table and slapped him on the side of the head. "You dummy." 

"Ow! Hey! What was that for!?" He asked, rubbing at the spot. 

"Are the rest of us useless because we aren't flying a fighter into combat?" She pressed him. 

"Well no of course not--"

"Did you help me get a lot of things done today?" She wasn't relenting. 

"Okay, fine, I take your meaning." 

She smiled. "Good. We all have our part to play, and we all have the ability to find new ways to help the Resistance. Soon, you will be back in that ship getting yourself into dangerous situations, but today, you helped me keep this camp running smoothly. Isn't that worth it?" 

He thought for a moment before responding. "Yeah, okay. You're right." She winked at him again. They finished their meal and Poe stood, stretching. "I'm going to go get cleaned up. Thanks, Rose." 

"You're welcome, flyboy." She said with a smile. 

* * *

Poe got himself cleaned up with another janky shower aboard the _General's Hope_ and headed back to his tent. As he got closer, he could see that there was light coming from inside. Finn must be back from whatever he was up to with Rey. Poe entered the tent, latching the entrance behind him. He was feeling some type of way, and he didn't want any interruptions.

Finn was seated on the bed looking through a holo-file. "Poe! There you are. I was wondering where you had gotten off to." 

He stood and walked to Poe, both of them quick to embrace, strong arms wrapped around each other. Poe closed his eyes and breathed. This was everything he wanted. "it's good to see you, beautiful." 

Finn chuckled. "Did you get medically cleared today?" 

Poe realized that, after all that, he had never even seen Racht. "No, I didn't get looked at yet, but it's okay." 

Finn pulled back and gave him a strange look. "Are you feeling all right? You were jumping out of your skin this morning." 

Poe smiled. "I'm fine. I spent my day working with Rose. She helped me put some things in perspective."

He leaned forward and brought his mouth to Finn's warm lips, kissing him gently. Finn responded in kind, nipping at Poe's lips, deepening the kiss. He moaned softly into Poe's mouth as their lips slid together hungrily, their pace quickening. Passion began to overtake Poe as he slid his tongue into Finn's mouth, getting a taste. He gently pushed Finn's head to the side and moved his mouth to the other man's neck, sucking and biting, licking and kissing. 

"Man, I don't know what Rose said to you but if this is the result, you two should talk more often." 

Finn was breathing heavily as their mouths met once again. His hands began exploring Poe, gripping and squeezing the pilot's arms and back. Eventually, he slid both hands firmly around Poe's ass, pulling their groins together. Both of them gasped as their hardening cocks pressed against each other, and Poe pulled back for a moment, panting. 

Finn looked him in the eyes. "What do you want?" He asked. 

Poe's mouth curled up into a wicked smile. "I want you in my mouth." 

Finn's eye's widened, and he smirked a bit. "Then you better get these clothes off." 

Poe didn't need to be told twice. He slid his shirt up over his head before doing the same with Finn's, revealing the strong chest and abdominal muscles rippling beneath. Their frantic kissing resumed, and the flushed flesh of their torsos was pressed together. Finn's hands went back to Poe's ass, squeezing and massaging the thick muscle. Poe immediately undid the clasp on his pants, and Finn moved his hands just long enough to let them drop to the floor, leaving Poe in only tight boxer briefs. 

Poe fumbled with Finn's belt, undoing it as quickly as possible as Finn grabbed his ass tightly again. He flung the belt to the side and undid the buttons on Finn's pants before sliding them to the ground with his own. They stood there together, only in their underwear, mouths dancing intricately with lips and tongues. Poe's hands went up to explore the muscle of Finn's back. Finn slid his hands beneath Poe's boxers, his rough hands pressing against the soft flesh and pulling their stiff dicks together, pulsing waves of pleasure through them both. 

Poe pulled back and dropped to his knees. He knew what he wanted, and it was time that he took it. He had been waiting far too long for this, and now Finn was ready and freely offering. His hands came up and slipped two fingers beneath the elastic band of Finn's underwear, slowly sliding the tight fabric down around his ass. The magnificent bulge in front of him was pulled down and to the right as the band caught against it. Poe pulled the band forward a bit more so that Finn's thick throbbing cock could spring loose and hang heavily before him. He let the underwear drop. 

He paused and looked up at Finn, meeting his eyes. "I love you." He said simply 

Finn smiled. "I love you." 

Poe turned his attention back to the object at hand. He reached up slowly and wrapped his fingers around the hot pulsing flesh, grasping it firmly in his hand. Finn shivered at Poe's touch. Poe gently stroked Finn's dick, taking in the full weight and thickness of it in his hand. He couldn't wait to get his mouth on it. His strokes brought forth a pearl of precum at the tip of Finn's dick. Poe looked up at Finn, licked his lips, and went in for a taste. 

He extended his tongue and licked the head of Finn's cock, lapping up the precum with it and eliciting an excited gasp from Finn. He licked again, slowly running his tongue over the sensitive head and enjoying every second of Finn's pleasure. Poe took the head into his mouth, sucking gently and pushing his tongue up and against the hot flesh. He let Finn's cock fall from his mouth before lifting it with his hand and kissing and sucking and licking at the underside the entire way down the shaft. He wrapped his lips up and around the sides as his tongue massaged underneath. 

"Gods, Poe, _don't stop,_ " Finn moaned

Poe slurped his way back up the shaft. He took the head into his mouth again, sucking gently and swirling his tongue across it. He slowly began to take in more and more of Finn's throbbing cock. Inch by inch, he slurped and sucked and swirled his way down the length once again, only this time it was all going in his mouth. Poe relished the taste of Finn's dick and could hardly keep himself from pushing Finn straight to climax. 

Finally, he felt the head of Finn's cock hit the back of his throat eliciting another gasp. Finn grabbed Poe's left shoulder, grasping it tightly as Poe slowly worked his way back off. Poe once again took as much of the pulsating organ into his mouth as he could and then slid back once he felt the head hit his throat. He began to increase the pace, moving his mouth around Finn's cock greedily, desperate to taste every inch. Finn had started a low moan that kept going as the waves of pleasure ran through him. 

Poe went faster but more varied, pausing in some places, paying more attention to others, bringing his hand up to grasp the rod as well to maximize how much of Finn's cock was touching him. He could feel Finn starting to tense up, and he knew that the orgasm was beginning to rise. He pulled his mouth off of Finn's dick and stood up, leaving the stiff member to hang heavily, slick with Poe's saliva. 

"By the stars, Poe! Why did you--"

"Shh, Shh," Poe interrupted. "Lay on the bed." 

Finn didn't need to be told twice and immediately let himself fall back onto the bed, positioning himself in the center. 

Poe winked. "Good boy." 

"Shut up and suck my dick," Finn said, immediately looking regretful having said it. "Oh gods, I'm sorry that sounded rude." 

Poe laughed. "Actually it was pretty sexy."

"Really?" Finn asked. 

"Really," Poe replied. He arched an eyebrow. "Want to try that again?" 

Finn almost smiled but caught himself, instead narrowing his eyes to give Poe a serious look. "Stop standing there and come suck my cock." 

Poe smirked and crawled onto the bed positioning himself in front of Finn's still-hard cock. The thick piece of meat lay firmly up against Finn's abs, and Poe couldn't wait to get it back into his mouth. He reached over for Finn's right hand and brought it to rest firmly on the back of his head, giving Finn another wink before getting back to work. 

He lifted Finn's cock and hungrily took it back into his mouth, eager to have Finn inside of him again. He varied his pace and his routine, quickening and slowing, pausing and rushing, enjoying every moment, and savoring every inch. He slid his left hand up over Finn's abs until it met the slope of his pectoral, then began rubbing and squeezing Finn's nipple. His other hand firmly grasped Finn's cock as it slid in and out of his wet mouth. 

At first, Finn just let his hand lightly stay on the back of Poe's head, but as the pilot devoured his cock, he began to tighten his grip. He started to apply small amounts of pressure as Poe worked, slowly asking for permission and exploring Poe's boundaries. Poe relented with every gentle push, so Finn grew bolder. Soon he was pushing Poe's head down onto his cock and then letting the other man control his head as he pulled back. 

Finn brought his other hand to Poe's head, now firmly grasping both sides as he pushed Poe's mouth down onto his cock over and over again. He quickened his pace, moaning steadily. Poe continued to suck and slurp all over Finn's throbbing thick rod, letting Finn use his mouth to pleasure himself. He could feel Finn beginning to tense again, but he didn't resist this time. 

Finn gasped sharply. Poe felt him stiffen in climax as his cock swelled inside of his mouth. Finn held Poe's head down as the first burst of cum shot up into Poe's waiting mouth. The second jet of hot liquid shot forth, and Finn let his hands fall to his sides as he seized his body repeatedly from the intense pleasure. Poe grabbed his swollen cock and continued to suck as Finn came again and again, filling Poe's mouth. Poe swallowed and sucked and swallowed again, draining Finn entirely, until, finally, nothing else came. Poe licked Finn's cock clean before pulling back, swallowing the last drops. 

Finn was staring up at the ceiling, chest heaving, hands at his sides. Poe positioned himself up on top of Finn, pushing the still-hard cock back and sitting in front of it so that the hot length was laid up against his ass. Finn looked up at Poe, looking dazed. Poe began to rub his ass back against the hard cock, making Finn gasp. Poe took Finn's hands and brought them up to his nipples. Finn took the hint and began to work Poe's nipples, rubbing his rough fingers over the sensitive nubs of flesh. 

Poe reached down with his left and hand and began jacking himself off, continuing to push himself back against Finn's dick. His right hand grasped at Finn's chest, he looked into Finn's eyes. He began to jerk himself off more quickly and roughly. Finn began to squeeze and rub his nipples more roughly. Poe gasped in pleasure as he increased his pace, never moving his eyes from Finn's. He felt his own climax rising as he jerked his cock, ass pressed back against Finn's cock. The feeling consumed him, and he began to pant and moan as he ejaculated up over Finn's abs and chest. The second stream splashed up onto Finn's neck, and yet they didn't look away from each other. The milky fluid painting Finn's chest. 

Finally, he was empty. Poe rolled off of Finn and threw himself down beside him. Both men were panting heavily, reveling in the pleasure of the experience. 

Finn was the first to speak. "Well," he started, "I think I just received the best first blowjob in history." 


End file.
